BioNTech, OncoC4 start late-stage lung cancer drug trial

BioNTech (22UAy.DE) and its U.S. partner OncoC4 Inc say they have started a late-stage study of their lung cancer immunotherapy candidate as the German COVID-19 vaccine maker seeks to advance its traditional focus on oncology drug development.

The Phase III trial, which can potentially lead to a regulatory filing, will enrol about 600 patients, the companies said in a statement on Thursday.

It will seek to show a benefit for people suffering from metastatic non-small cell lung cancer, which has progressed despite treatment with so-called checkpoint inhibitor drugs such as Merck & Co’s (MRK.N) Keytruda.

Earlier this month, a mid-stage trial showed that the drug candidate known as gotistobart shrunk tumours in close to 30% of study participants.

Reuters/Oyenike Oyeniyi