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MRTX > AstraZeneca ties up with little Mirati on another PD-L1 combo trial

http://www.fiercebiotech.com/story/astrazeneca-ties-little-mirati-another-pd-l1-combo-trial/2015-08-05?utm_medium=rss&utm_source=rss&utm_campaign=rss

Little Mirati Therapeutics ($MRTX), which has a $465 million market cap, used to be called MethylGene before it was moved to the U.S. a few years ago, named former Pfizer oncology R&D chief--and Schering-Plough vet--Charles Baum as its new CEO and won a listing on Nasdaq. The San Diego-based company had followed a rocky road financially when it filed its S-1 in 2013, but appears to have stabilized in recent times. Its CMO is Isan Chen, who worked as CMO at Aragon before J&J bought it out in a $1 billion deal.

"There is a growing body of evidence that mocetinostat may enhance the efficacy of immune checkpoint inhibitors such as PD-L1 antibodies," said Baum in a statement. "Mocetinostat selectively targets specific HDACs that may increase the efficacy of durvalumab in patients with non-small cell lung cancer, as well as other tumor types. We look forward to working with MedImmune on this novel combination to potentially improve outcomes for patients."

Mocetinostat is partnered with Taiho in Asia. Mirati's web site notes that the drug is currently in Phase II trials as a single agent in patients with bladder cancer and DLBCL. Mocetinostat is also in a Phase II dose confirmation study in combination with Vidaza as treatment for intermediate and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome.