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Part of a growing trend in the industry, Ligand Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: LGND) has inked a royalty financing agreement with immunology company Agenus (Nasdaq: AGEN).
Updated findings from a phase 1 trial (NCT03860272) evaluating botensilimab (AGEN1181) plus balstilimab (AGEN2034) for the treatment of patients with refractory microsatellite-stable (MSS)/mismatch repair–proficient (pMMR) metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) show that the combination elicited 12- and 18-month overall survival (OS) rates of 71% and 62%, respectively.
Neoadjuvant botensilimab plus balstilimab appears to be safe and effective in patients with colorectal cancer regardless of mismatch repair status in the phase 2 NEST-1 trial.
A combination immunotherapy developed by biotech company Agenus administered before surgery destroyed over 80% of a tumor before it was removed.
Patients with non-microsatellite instability-high metastatic colorectal cancer had better survival rates from the botensilimab and balstilimab combination.