Bavencio’s ovarian disappointment reveals a low-key industry presence

While Parp inhibitors are transforming the treatment of ovarian cancer – at least for a subgroup of patients – the same cannot be said of checkpoint blockers. And on Friday one of the few anti-PD-(L)1 agents with an active programme in this tumour type, Merck KGaA/Pfizer’s Bavencio, flunked its first-line study, Javelin Ovarian 100. This trial had progression-free survival as its primary endpoint, but interim analysis suggested futility, causing it to be terminated. Javelin Ovarian 200, Bavencio’s study in platinum-refractory disease, continues, as do trials in combination with Parp inhibitors. But a search of clinicaltrials.gov reveals a very low-key industry presence overall, with the vast majority of checkpoint blocker studies in ovarian cancer being sponsored by academia. Other notable exceptions include the uncontrolled Keynote-100 trial of Merck & Co’s Keytruda in second-line disease, and the phase III Imagyn-050 test of Roche’s Tecentriq in combination with Avastin, in front-line treatment of tumours that also include fallopian tube and primary peritoneal cancers.