Affimed N.V., a clinical-stage immuno-oncology company, entered a clinical research collaboration with Roche to explore the combination of Affimed’s innate cell engager (ICE) AFM24 with Roche’s PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor atezolizumab (Tecentriq).

Affimed will fund and conduct a Phase 1/2a trial to investigate the combination of AFM24 and atezolizumab for the treatment of advanced solid epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) expressing malignancies in patients whose disease has progressed after treatment with previous anticancer therapies. Roche will supply Affimed with atezolizumab for the clinical trial. The Phase 1/2a study will establish a dosing regimen for the combination therapy and assess safety and potential activity.

AFM24 is a novel tetravalent, bispecific EGFR- and CD16A-binding innate cell engager that activates innate immunity by inducing both antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity (ADCC) and antibody-dependent cellular phagocytosis (ADCP). AFM24 is currently being evaluated as monotherapy in adult patients with advanced solid malignancies known to be EGFR-positive in an open-label, non-randomized, multi-center, multiple ascending dose escalation/expansion study.