Innovent announced that it has entered into a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Merck for a combination therapy of IBI351 (GFH925) with cetuximab (ERBITUX®).  Innovent says the therapy is a potential treatment for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) which will be tested in a phase Ib clinical trial in Chinese patients with advanced or metastatic NSCLC harbouring KRASG12C mutation. 

In October last year, Merck entered a clinical trial collaboration with Jacobio Pharma to investigate a combination therapy of JAB-21822 (KRAS G12C inhibitor) with ERBITUX® to treat KRAS G12C-mutated colorectal cancer. 

Lupin announced a strategic collaboration with Enzene Biosciences (Aklem Laboratories’ biological arm) to launch Cetuxa®, the first Indian biosimilar cetuximab for Eli Lilly and Merck’s Erbitux®.  Cetuximab is approved by Drug Controller General of India for treating head and neck cancer, particularly Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck (SCCHN).  

In February 2023, Enzene Biosciences began supply of its Humira® (adalimumab) biosimilar in India for the treatment of ankylosis spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis.   

Erasca announced it has signed a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Pierre Fabre for BRAFTOVI (encorafenib) within key international territories.  Erasca reported that this agreement will support a clinical proof-of-concept trial evaluating ERAS-007 (oral ERK1/2 inhibitor) in combination with encorafenib and cetuximab for the treatment of BRAF V600E-mutant metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC).

Jacobio Pharma announced it has entered into a clinical trial collaboration agreement with Merck to study Jacobio’s JAB-21822 (KRAS G12C inhibitor) in combination with Erbitux® (cetuximab) for the treatment of KRAS G12C-mutated colorectal cancer.

ALX Oncology announced the initiation of Ph II trials of evorpacept (CD47 blocker) in combination with Erbitux® (cetuximab) and Keytruda® (pembrolizumab) for the treatment of refractory microsatellite stable metastatic colorectal cancer following at least two lines of systemic therapy.

Erasca and Eli Lilly announced that they have entered into a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement for Erbitux® (cetuximab).  This agreement will support Erasca’s ongoing Ph I trials evaluating ERAS-601, its SHP2 inhibitor, with cetuximab for the treatment of triple wildtype metastatic colorectal cancer and HPV-negative advanced head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.  Lilly will supply cetuximab to Erasca at no cost.

AVEO Oncology announced that it has entered into a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Eli Lilly to evaluate ficlatuzumab in combination with ERBITUX® (cetuximab) in the US and Canada in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell carcinoma.  This follows a similar engagement with Merck earlier in 2022 regarding Aveo’s clinical development plan for ficlatuzumab.

Biond Biologics announced the first patients have been dosed in its Ph I trials of BND-22 (an Ig-Like Transcript 2 (ILT2) receptor blocking antibody) in combination with pembrolizumab or cetuximab being conducted in Israel and the US.  BND-22 is being developed under an exclusive world wide licence with Sanofi.

Medical Xpress reports on an Institute of Cancer Research, London, study showing that levels of the protein PD-L1 detected in head and neck tumours can be used to personalise medicine.  Depending on PD-L1 levels, patients should receive personalised medicine of either chemotherapy with or without cetuximab, pembrolizumab in combination with chemotherapy, or pembrolizumab alone.