AVANT/Pfizer cancer vaccine deal clears hurdle

Celldex Therapeutics (a wholly-owned subsidiary of AVANT Immunotherapeutics) has received Federal Trade Commission approval under the Hart-Scott Rodino Act, clearing AVANT's proposal to grant US drug giant Pfizer exclusive rights to CDX-110, an investigational vaccine currently under development.

Last month, Pfizer and Celldex announced that they entered into a deal which could see Avant earning as much as $390.0 million (Marketletter April 28). CDX-110 is currently being evaluated in a Phase II study for the treatment of glioblastoma multiforme. The agreement also gives Pfizer exclusive rights to the use of this vaccine targeting the tumor specific EGFR mutant EGFRvIII in other potential indications.

CDX-110 is designed to induce or enhance the body's immune responses against EGFRvIII resulting in destruction of tumor cells that express the variant receptor. Single arm Phase II clinical trials of the agent in combination with the current standard treatment for patients with GBM have been conducted. Updated clinical data will be released at the American Society for Clinical Oncology Meeting in Chicago on June 2. A randomized Phase II trial is currently enrolling at 24 sites across the USA.