A partner this year? It is possible! As you know, Incyte pulled the plug in April from a Phase 3 trial with Merck. This combo therapy with Epacadostat and Keytruda did not work better than Keytruda alone. This trial did not relate to OC but to skin cancer (melanoma). This was of course a big disappointment for Incyte. However, they still have hope for epacadostat and they have even expanded tests with IMV.
This means that IMV is now in a win-win situation. If it turns out that epacadostat continues to have a strong added value, then of course they are extremely happy to make a deal. If epacadostat has no added value, then IMV with DPX-Survivac has a monotherapy in hands that shows unprecedented good results.
The same applies to Merck more or less the same. Keytruda has already been approved for quite a few applications, but the competition is not standing still. Major players such as Roche, Sanofi and Brister Meyers are working hard. Fortunately! Numerous combinations of trials are under way whereby Keytruda is used in combination with another agent. If IMV succeeds in delivering good results in combination with Keytruda, and if they were better than other combination trials, as with OC, then it is no different than that there is a great cooperation.
The longer IMV can remain independent, the stronger they are in the negotiation process. In short, we must be patient and the results must speak for themselves. Then the partners come naturally! And because the results are so good, they have to go deep into the pouch!