Five Prime, BMS to study PD-1, CSF1R combo

Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. (NYSE:BMY) and Five Prime Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ:FPRX) will jointly evaluate a combination of BMS's Opdivo nivolumab and Five Prime's FPA008 in a Phase Ia/Ib study to treat non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), melanoma, head and neck cancer, pancreatic cancer, colorectal cancer and malignant glioma. Opdivo is a human IgG4 mAb against programmed cell death 1 ( PDCD1; PD-1; CD279). FPA008 is a humanized mAb that inhibits colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor ( CSF1R; C-FMS; CD115).

BMS will pay Five Prime $30 million up front and pay for the study, which Five Prime expects to begin by 2H15. The deal gives each partner an exclusive opt-in right if the other proposes to study combinations of PD-1 or programmed cell death 1 ligand 1 ( PD-L1) ( B7-H1) ( CD274) antagonists with anti-CSF1R antagonists in additional tumor types. If Five Prime seeks a partner for FPA008, BMS has a right of first refusal for three months. ...