Merck and Endocyte Enter Exclusive Worldwide Agreement to Develop and Commercialize Phase III Cancer Candidate Vintafolide (EC145) - MarketWatch

Merck and Endocyte Enter Exclusive Worldwide Agreement to Develop and Commercialize Phase III Cancer Candidate Vintafolide (EC145) - MarketWatch

Apr 16, 2012 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Merck, known as MSD outside the United States and Canada, MRK +0.58% and Endocyte Inc. ECYT +103.95% , today announced that they have entered into an agreement to develop and commercialize Endocyte's novel investigational therapeutic candidate vintafolide (EC145). Vintafolide is currently being evaluated in a Phase III clinical trial for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, (PROCEED trial) and a Phase II trial for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC); both studies are also using Endocyte's investigational companion diagnostic agent, etarfolatide (EC20).

"Vintafolide is a promising and innovative late-stage cancer drug candidate. In addition to pursuing the lead indication of platinum-resistant ovarian cancer, Merck plans to further evaluate its potential for treatment of multiple other cancer types," said Peter S. Kim, executive vice president and president Merck Research Laboratories. "This agreement underscores our strategy of building a portfolio of oncology therapeutics that employ a companion diagnostic to facilitate selection of those patients most likely to respond to treatment.".....