Bristol-Myers Squibb and Calithera Biosciences recently said they are expanding their current collaboration to evaluate Bristol-Myers Squibb's Opdivo (nivolumab) and Calithera's CB-839 in treating non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the skin cancer melanoma.
“We are pleased to expand our collaboration with Calithera into NSCLC and melanoma, building upon our existing clinical study evaluating Opdivo and CB-839 in clear cell renal cell carcinoma,” Dr. Fouad Namouni, Bristol-Myers Squibb senior vice president and head of oncology development, said in a release.
The two companies were already working together to evaluate Opdivo and CB-839 in treating clear cell renal cell cancer. Opdivo reduces the immune suppression effect of some cancers and restores the body's immune response, while CB-839 works to starve tumor cells by targeting a pathway used to supply the nutrient glutamine. CB-839 also may promote an immune response to tumors.
“The expansion of this clinical collaboration with Bristol-Myers Squibb into NSCLC and melanoma is an important addition to our immunotherapy clinical strategy for CB-839,” Calithera Biosciences CEO Susan Molineaux said in the release. “This represents one of several strategies to develop CB-839, a glutaminase inhibitor, in combination with approved therapies with the hope of improving the treatment of patients with solid tumors.”
