Patients discrimination with immunotherapy drugs Below is the perfect example of where TLT has a huge benefit over immunotherapy drugs. For example, it would confer TLT a 4x greater pool of patients over Keytruda in the BCG-unresponsive because our drug doesn't test for specific genetic profiles. That's another key attribute that could make us very attractive to a big pharma as it equals to higher revenues. Check this example (from another type of indication - NSCLC): Adagrasib, given in tandem with Keytruda, shrank tumors in 49% of 53 patients with newly diagnosed KRAS G12C-mutated non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in a phase 2 trial, according to data to be presented at the ESMO Immuno-Oncology Congress 2022. The combo also showed relatively low liver toxicity, relieving a major safety concern. Based on the phase 2 results, Mirati is moving the adagrasib-Keytruda regimen into phase 3 testing in front-line NSCLC soon. The company met with the FDA in September, and the agency has agreed with the trial design, Meek said. The phase 3 will only enroll patients with low PD-L1 expression, he said. And despite the efficacy numbers below, Mirati is the subject of big pharma takeover. Mirati is worth 4.2B$US. The adagrasib-Keytruda pairing delivered the 49% overall response rate after investigators followed 53 patients for a median 3.5 months. Mirati is once again the subject of Big Pharma takeover talks: report Bloomberg reported Tuesday that Mirati Therapeutics is once again the subject of takeover talks, reviving similar rumors from a year ago. In fact, Mirati has been considering strategic options “for some time,” according to the latest reports.
No formal bids have been proposed, according to Bloomberg, which claimed that the cancer-focused company is working with an advisor and larger pharmas are considering the “merits of a transaction.” Notably, the report said that a deal doesn’t appear to be imminent.
A spokesperson for Mirati said the company would not comment on speculation.
The latest reports come as the company prepares to challenge Amgen’s KRAS inhibitor packleader Lumakras with its own competitor, adagrasib. The drug is currently being reviewed under the FDA’s accelerated approval program with a December 14 decision deadline.
Dec. 5, 2022:
Mirati Therapeutics Presents Late-Breaking Results Evaluating Concurrent Adagrasib and Pembrolizumab in First-Line Advanced/Metastatic Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC)