AstraZeneca and MedImmune, its global biologics research and development arm, have expanded their immuno-oncology clinical collaboration with Incyte, a Wilmington, Delaware-based biopharmaceutical company.

Under the agreement, the companies will evaluate the efficacy and safety of epacadostat, Incyte’s investigational selective IDO1 enzyme inhibitor, in combination with AstraZeneca’s Imfinzi (durvalumab), a human monoclonal antibody directed against PD-L1, compared to Imfinzi alone.

The exclusive collaboration for the study population allows for the two companies to conduct a Phase III trial in patients with locally advanced (Stage III), unresectable non-small cell lung cancer whose disease has not progressed following platinum-based chemotherapy concurrent with radiation therapy.

The Phase III trial, which will be co-funded by the two companies and will be conducted by AstraZeneca, is expected to begin enrolling patients in the first half of 2018. This agreement builds on an existing clinical collaboration for Imfinzi and epacadostat announced by the companies in May 2014.

Source: AstraZeneca