Benzinga | Mar 18, 2021 09:10AM EDT

Exelixis' XL092 To Be Tested In Combination With Bavencio In Urothelial Carcinoma

Exelixis Inc (NASDAQ: EXEL) has announced a clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Germany's Merck KGaA and Pfizer Inc (NYSE: PFE) for the ongoing Phase 1b dose-escalation study STELLAR-001.

* The study will add three new cohorts that will evaluate the safety and tolerability of Exelixis' XL092, in combination with Merck/Pfizer's Bavencio (avelumab), in patients with locally advanced or metastatic urothelial carcinoma (UC).

* Exelixis is sponsoring the STELLAR-001 trial, and Merck KGaA and Pfizer will provide avelumab for use in the trial.

* Additional expansion cohorts include maintenance therapy, patients who have progressed following treatment with an immune checkpoint inhibitor, and patients previously treated with platinum-containing chemotherapy.

* XL092 is an investigational, next-generation oral tyrosine kinase inhibitor that targets VEGF receptors, MET, AXL, MER, and other kinases implicated in the growth and spread of cancer.

* Price Action: EXEL shares are trading 0.86% higher at $23.35 in premarket trading on the last check Thursday.