IO Biotech, Inc. announced that it has entered into a fourth clinical trial collaboration and supply agreement with Merck & Co., Inc., Rahway, NJ, USA (known as MSD outside the United States and Canada), through a subsidiary. The purpose of the collaboration is to evaluate IO Biotech's lead candidate, IO102-IO103, in combination with KEYTRUDA(R) (pembrolizumab), Merck's anti-PD-1 (programmed cell death receptor-1) therapy, as neoadjuvant and adjuvant treatment in a multicenter, multi-cohort trial evaluating anti-tumor activity, safety and immune infiltration. The proof-of-concept trial will include patients with resectable tumors in at least two indications.

The primary objective of the proposed study is to investigate the activity of neoadjuvant treatment with IO102-IO103 in combination with pembrolizumab, in terms of pathologic tumor response in resected tumors. Secondary objectives include anti-tumor effect based on standard imaging of IO102-IO103 in combination with pembrolizumab as neoadjuvant treatment and as adjuvant treatment, overall survival after neoadjuvant/adjuvant treatment with IO102-IO103 in combination with pembrolizumab and the requirement for post-operative chemotherapy/radiotherapy following IO102-IO103 in combination with pembrolizumab as neoadjuvant treatment. Under the terms of the agreement, IO Biotech will sponsor the Phase 2 trial and Merck will supply pembrolizumab.

IO Biotech maintains global commercial rights to IO102-IO103.