Lyvgen and MSD Enter Clinical Collaboration to Evaluate Keytruda in Combination with CD137 Agonist LVGN6051 for Multiple Cancers

Reposted from: Medical Insights

Recently, Lyvgen Biopharma (Lyvgen) announced a clinical trial collaboration agreement with a subsidiary of MSD to evaluate the efficacy of Lyvgen’s second-generation 4-1BB (CD137) agonist LVGN6051 in combination with MSD’s PD-1 inhibitor Keytruda (pembrolizumab) for the treatment of various malignant tumors, including lung cancer, melanoma, gastrointestinal cancers with high microsatellite instability (MSI-H) or deficient mismatch repair (dMMR), and lymphoma.

LVGN6051 is a bispecific cross-linking antibody developed using Lijin Biotechnology’s xLinkAb™ platform, functioning as an agonistic antibody against CD137. CD137 provides a co-stimulatory signal for cytotoxic T cells. LVGN6051 binds to both CD137 and FcγRIIB, effectively activating the CD137 signaling pathway and enhancing the efficacy of cancer immunotherapy. Unlike first-generation CD137 agonist antibodies that have entered clinical trials, LVGN6051 exhibits dual specificity for CD137 and FcγRIIB. The product initiated Phase I clinical trials in 2019 and was expected to enter Phase II clinical trials in 2021.

Dr. Wang Jieyi, CEO of Lijin Biotechnology, stated, “We are pleased to collaborate with MSD on a clinical study to evaluate the combination of Keytruda and our innovative 4-1BB (CD137) agonist antibody, LVGN6051. CD137 signaling provides critical support to CD8+ effector T cells in a manner complementary to PD-1 blockade. We believe that the combination of LVGN6051 and Keytruda has the potential to improve treatment outcomes for patients with advanced cancer and is expected to expand the application of cancer immunotherapy.”

Lijin Biotechnology, founded by Dr. Wang Jieyi in 2016, focuses on the development of world-leading tumor immune-activating antibodies and combination cancer immunotherapies, with the aim of improving long-term survival rates for cancer patients. In July 2018, Lijin Biotechnology completed a $30 million Series B financing round.

Currently, Lijin Biotechnology has four innovative antibodies under global clinical development applications. Among them, the humanized anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody SSI-361 has been licensed to Anke Biotechnology for development in the Chinese market.

It is worth noting that Lijin Biotechnology’s Suzhou branch officially opened its doors in recent days. The company has already established a 2,000-square-meter early-stage R&D and production center for antibody drugs in Suzhou, while construction of its headquarters, R&D center, and GMP-compliant manufacturing facilities is actively underway. Reportedly, the company plans to rapidly build a pipeline of more than 10 innovative drug candidates within the next five years.

Original Title: Lijin Biotechnology and MSD Reach Collaboration: Keytruda Combined with CD137 Agonist for the Treatment of Various Malignant Tumors

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