Jounce trounced after Icos stumble

Targeting Icos has looked like a questionable strategy for some time. Now the failure of Jounce’s vopratelimab in the phase II Emerge trial has put the spotlight on another champion of this approach: Glaxosmithkline. A big test for Glaxo’s own Icos agonist, GSK3359609, is coming up, with data from the phase II Entrée trial in non-small cell lung cancer due in the first half of 2021. Glaxo is claiming its project is differentiated as it causes no or minimal T-cell depletion. Still, the signs are not good. Jounce had to stop Emerge after an interim analysis found that vopratelimab plus Yervoy did not show a benefit in PD-(L)1 inhibitor experienced NSCLC patients. The company will hope for a better result in the Select study of vopratelimab with its PD-1 inhibitor, JTX-4014, in PD-(L)1-naïve NSCLC – however, hopes cannot now be high, especially after a similar combo, vopratelimab plus Opdivo, disappointed in the Iconic study in various cancer types. Jounce has a couple more preclinical assets in its pipeline, with Gilead recently licensing the CCR8-targeting JTX-1811; however, Bristol Myers Squibb returned rights to the anti-leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor B2 antibody JTX-8064 in June. Jounce stock closed down 18% yesterday.