March 15 Quick Takes: Blackstone backs Sanofi’s multiple myeloma trial
Plus: Keytruda, Lynparza combo misses, pandemic antiviral initiative launches and updates from Eisai, Biogen and more
Affiliates of the Blackstone Life Sciences unit of Blackstone Inc. (NYSE:BX) will supply up to €300 million ($328 million) to Sanofi (Euronext:SAN; NASDAQ:SNY) in a risk-sharing deal to conduct a Phase III trial of subcutaneous Sarclisa isatuximab-irfc to treat multiple myeloma. Blackstone will be eligible for royalties if the formulation is approved; Sanofi markets an IV version of the anti-CD38 mAb that was first approved in 2020. A pivotal study is to begin next half.
Merck & Co. Inc. (NYSE:MRK) stopped the Phase III KEYLYNK-010 study of Keytruda pembrolizumab and PARP inhibitor Lynparza olaparib in third-line metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer for futility in a rare late-stage miss for the PD-1 inhibitor. At an interim analysis in the open-label study enrolling 793 patients, the combination didn’t show an overall survival benefit over abiraterone acetate or enzalutamide. It didn’t show benefit on the other primary endpoint, radiographic PFS, at an earlier interim analysis. Keytruda has collected approvals across 34 cancer indications, but has no specific prostate cancer approvals...