Syndax Pharmaceuticals affirms Oncology Clinical Trial venture with AstraZeneca

Clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing an innovative pipeline of cancer therapies, Syndax Pharmaceuticals ventured into new Clinical collaboration with AstraZeneca to assess the safety and efficacy of AstraZeneca’s clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing an innovative pipeline of cancer therapies.

Syndax and AstraZeneca will collaborate on a non-exclusive basis to evaluate the combination of the two drugs in multiple solid tumor types. Syndax expects to initiate a Phase Ib study in the first half of 2018 to establish the safety and recommended dose regimen of SNDX-6352 in combination with durvalumab.

Briggs W. Morrison, M.D., Chief Executive Officer of Syndax said “It is thought that tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) mediate immunosuppressive effects in the tumor microenvironment, which may limit the benefit of some immunotherapies, including those targeting PD-L1. SNDX-6352 has been shown to reduce the activity of TAMs, which we hope will translate to improved patient outcomes.”

SNDX-6352 is a monoclonal antibody that blocks the colony stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) receptor. Inhibition of signaling through the CSF-1 receptor has been shown to lead to the depletion of cells known as Tumor Associated Macrophages, or TAMS, immunosuppressive cells found in the tumor microenvironment that can inhibit the ability of Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes to attack and kill tumor cells.

Image Source : AstraZeneca