Bristol Myers Squibb (BMS) has revealed plans to double the number of drugs in registrational trials over the next 18 months.

The drugmaker currently has six candidates in clinical trials, including an anti-IL-13 monoclonal antibody under development to treat eosinophilic oesophagitis and an LPA1 antagonist being evaluated in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and progressive pulmonary fibrosis.

The pipeline update includes a CD19-directed cell therapy expanding into clinical trials for immunologic diseases, a GPRC5D-targeting cell therapy starting a registrational trial in relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM), and a BCMA x CD3 T-cell engager advancing into a phase 3 trial, also for RRMM.

The company will also be progressing a protein degrader to a late-stage trial in first-line large B-cell lymphoma, moving an androgen receptor degrader into pivotal studies in metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer, and is expecting proof-of-concept data for a BET inhibitor in myelofibrosis.

In addition to its growing registrational portfolio, the company said it has more than 25 indication expansion opportunities “on the horizon” and nine “high-potential” early assets expected to advance in the pipeline.

BMS, which already has two US-approved cell therapies, said it is expanding its manufacturing capacity and plans to continue development for treatments targeting diseases, including multiple sclerosis and lupus erythematosus.

Samit Hirawat, executive vice president and chief medical officer, drug development at BMS, said: “The work we’re undertaking to accelerate our clinical pipeline and extend scientific leadership across therapeutic areas make it an incredibly exciting time to be a part of this company and our research and development organisation.

“Our integrated approach to research and development will allow us to maximise innovation and get more medicines to more patients faster.”

The announcement comes just days after BMS shared six-year follow-up results from a late-stage study of Opdivo (nivolumab) plus Yervoy (ipilimumab) in certain lung cancer patients.

The phase 3 CheckMate-227 trial has been evaluating the dual immunotherapy-based combination compared to chemotherapy as a first-line treatment in patients with metastatic non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), regardless of their PD-L1 expression levels.

According to the results, which were presented at the IASLC 2023 World Conference on Lung Cancer, the combination continued to demonstrate long-term and durable survival benefits.

https://www.pmlive.com/pharma_news/bristol_myers_squibb_reveals_plans_to_double_number_of_drugs_in_registrational_trials_1500006