Aduro Biotech Inc. will discontinue advancement of its cancer drug candidate CRS-207 and wind down ongoing trials in mesothelioma, ovarian and gastric cancer.
The company's decision was based on preliminary results from its mesothelioma and ovarian cancer studies, as well as a business and commercial assessment.
Mesothelioma is a type of cancer that develops from the thin layer of tissue that lines organs including the lungs, stomach and heart.
Previously, Aduro had agreed to collaborate with Merck & Co. Inc. to evaluate the combination of CRS-207 and Keytruda in two phase 2 trials for treating lung and gastric cancer.
The company will now shift its focus and investment toward, among others, its STING agonist program, under which it is considering several additional clinical trials to complement its ongoing phase 1 trial of potential cancer treatment ADU-S100.
Aduro has also an ongoing phase 1b combination study of ADU-S100 with Novartis AG's PD-1 checkpoint inhibitor PDR-001 to treat advanced/metastatic solid tumors or lymphomas.
As a result of the changes, the company expects its current cash balance to be sufficient to fund planned activities for the next three years through 2020, said Stephen Isaacs, chairman and CEO of Aduro Biotech.
