F-star to trial FS120 in combination with Keytruda

4 August 2021

UK and USA-based clinical stage biotech F-star Therapeutics (Nasdaq: FSTX) saw its shares gain more than 3% to $5.57 by mid-morning, as it announced a collaboration with Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK), to evaluate the combination of FS120, F-star’s first-in-class dual-agonist tetravalent bispecific antibody targeting CD137 and OX40, with the US pharma giant’s blockbuster anti-PD-1 drug Keytruda (pembrolizumab).

Under the terms of the agreement, Merck’s subsidiary MSD will supply Keytruda for a combination arm that will be included in the adaptive Phase I clinical protocol of FS120, sponsored by F-star, that was initiated in December of 2020.

FS120 is currently being explored as a monotherapy in dose escalation (NCT04648202), including the evaluation of pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics in patients with advanced cancer. FS120 will also be evaluated in combination with Keytruda, with the potential for early demonstration of clinical activity in specific tumor subtypes.

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