Pfizer has recently teamed up with German pharmaceutical company Merck with which both firms will be sharing their rights to generate an immunotherapy drug that is expected to fight cancer.
With an initial focus on lung and ovarian cancer, such type of drug has been deemed as a crucial element in contemporary cancer research and has also become a top priority for British research-based pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca. Pfizer had been speculated to bid for AstraZeneca but, instead, chose Merck.
In their venture to generate potential cancer drugs, Pfizer and Merck will place emphasis on enhancing the immune system of individuals in order to overcome cancer.
Looking into their agreement, the US-based company will be paying the German firm with an initial amount of $850 million and may reach a sum of $2 billion, depending on the number of approved drugs as well as potential revenue levels.
Pfizer and Merck may either develop the drugs alone or be integrated with other cancer treatments. The two firms have stated that they are looking forward to begin at least 20 programs for patients to test these forthcoming immune-oncology drugs.
Immune-oncology drugs are known to aid the system in attacking cancer cells that are hidden within the body. Medications under this type are currently being tested by other major drug makers, such as Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. with which a related drug had been approved earlier this year.
According to Albert Bourla who is in charge of Pfizer's cancer-related ventures, the development of such drugs remains to be a "top priority" for the company. Although Pfizer has been deemed as the second largest pharmaceutical company in the world based on revenue, its cancer treatment research began only a couple of years ago.
An experimental immune-oncology drug from Merck named the MSB0010718C under the anti-PD-L 1 antibodies class may be tested by the company itself along with Pfizer. Such drug has already been subjected to initial testing among over 500 patients who have different cancer types.
According to Mikael Dolston, global research director for Pfizer, the initial testing phase yielded "impressive" results. In addition, Merck also made public the data which showed the effects of the drug on patients with lung and ovarian cancer.
The companies seek to disclose more details and possible generalizations about the drug itself at various medical conferences in 2015.
