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news.Idera Pharmaceuticals has regained global rights from Merck KGaA over IMO-2055, an agonist of Toll-like Receptor 9 (TLR9), following termination of oncology collaboration between the two companies.
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Idera entered licensing and collaboration deal with Merck KGaA in December 2007 for the research, development and commercialization of Idera’s TLR9 agonists, including IMO-2055, for the treatment of certain cancers.
Merck KGaA conducted Phase 1 trials of IMO-2055 in several cancer indications and the drug is undergoing randomized Phase 2 trial in combination with Erbitux to treat squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (SCCHN).
Merck had informed Idera that it would not continue clinical development of IMO-2055 beyond completing the ongoing Phase 2 trial in SCCHN.
Idera chairman and CEO Sudhir Agrawal said under the termination agreement, Merck KGaA will continue to conduct the ongoing Phase 2 trial in patients with SCCHN and Idera will have rights to the data, as well as to the data from Phase 1 trials conducted in other cancer indications.
"We believe that regaining our rights to IMO-2055, as well as the rights to the clinical data, will provide us greater flexibility and control in the clinical development of IMO-2055 and the opportunity to pursue new business collaborations," Agrawal added.