Nektar crushed — again — as Bristol Myers ally runs into PhIII melanoma fail
Nektar could not hold up to Bristol Myers’ blockbuster Opdivo in a Phase III melanoma study, as the combo therapy went 0-for-3 on major markers, leading the CEO to suggest layoffs could be on the way.
The pair had been aiming to combine Opdivo with Nektar’s experimental drug bempegaldesleukin, or bempeg for short, in metastatic melanoma. It’s an indication that made the PD-(L)1 class famous, as it was where Opdivo and rival Keytruda were first evaluated and nabbed their initial approvals before each becoming megablockbusters.
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