Immune Design and Merck to test Keytruda combinations for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and melanoma

USA-based Immune Design (Nasdaq: IMDZ) has entered into clinical collaboration with pharma giant Merck & Co (NYSE: MRK) to test a combination of drugs.

The plan is to evaluate the safety and efficacy of two Immune Design immuno-oncology investigative agents, G100 and LV305, separately combined with already approved Keytruda (pembrolizumab), Merck's anti-PD-1 therapy, in Phase I trials in patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) and melanoma, respectively. Financial terms of the accord have not been disclosed.

The first clinical trial will examine intratumoral administration of G100 with intravenous administration of Keytruda in patients with follicular NHL receiving local radiation. In addition to an evaluation of the safety of the combination, the study will assess the response in both injected and non-injected lesions. The second clinical trial in melanoma will evaluate safety and response to the combination of LV305 and Keytruda in patients who have not yet responded to treatment with Keytruda alone after three months of treatment.