Merck advances ATR inhibitor berzosertib in small cell lung cancer

13 April 2021

Germany’s Merck KGaA (MRK: DE) has announced key clinical advancements for berzosertib (M6620), an investigational, potent and selective ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) inhibitor.

Berzosertib is the leading asset in the company’s DNA damage response (DDR) inhibitor program and one of the most advanced ATR inhibitors in oncology clinical development industry-wide.

Results from a Phase II proof-of-concept study conducted by the US National Cancer Institute (NCI) and published in Cancer Cell showed that berzosertib in combination with the chemotherapy topotecan resulted in an objective response rate (ORR) of 36% among patients with relapsed small cell lung cancer (SCLC), including durable responses among a majority of responding patients with platinum-resistant disease. The NCI is also conducting a separate Phase II trial of berzosertib in combination with topotecan versus topotecan monotherapy in SCLC that has relapsed (NCT03896503) which is currently the only randomized controlled trial of the combination in this population.

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