Calithera Biosciences Inc (CALA)

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Bristol-Myers and Calithera expand clinical collaboration

May 15, 2017 6:56 AM ET

Bristol-Myers Squibb (NYSE:BMY) and Calithera Biosciences (NASDAQ:CALA) expand their cancer collaboration assessing Opdivo (nivolumab) and CB-839. They plan to evaluate the combination in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and melanoma. A clinical trial in clear cell renal cell carcinoma is already underway.

CB-839 is an orally administered inhibitor of an enzyme called glutaminase. It is designed to starve tumor cells of a protein called glutamine, a key nutrient. The rationale is that it may enhance the effects of checkpoint inhibitors and may reverse tumor resistance to checkpoint inhibitors by altering the immune-suppressive microenvironment and promoting an anti-tumor immune response. Opdivo is a PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor designed to overcome immune suppression.