Mirati Therapeutics has joined forces with MD Anderson Cancer Center to expand the study of its two KRAS inhibitors. The pact will enable Mirati to tap into MD Anderson’s clinical trial capabilities as it seeks to position adagrasib and MRTX1133 as treatments for multiple solid tumor types.
San Diego-based Mirati has established itself at the forefront of efforts to bring a KRAS inhibitor to market with data drops from clinical trials of adagrasib, formerly known as MRTX849. The biotech is now running a phase 3 lung cancer trial of the G12C inhibitor while advancing its sibling, G12D inhibitor MRTX1133, toward human studies.
The importance of KRAS to multiple solid tumor types positions Mirati to study the molecules in a number of indications. When single agent uses and a range of potential combinations are factored in, the two KRAS assets give Mirati a large number of possible avenues of clinical development.
Mirati has tapped MD Anderson to help it explore those research opportunities. Under the terms of the five-year arrangement, Mirati and MD Anderson will collaborate on preclinical and clinical studies in non-small cell lung, pancreatic, colorectal and gynecological cancers. Mirati will fund the studies and provide research materials. A joint steering committee will oversee the studies.
Partnering with MD Anderson will enable Mirati to access oncology clinical trial infrastructure and expertise while retaining control of its KRAS candidates. The infrastructure and expertise could prove valuable as Mirati races to establish its drugs in multiple indications amid competition from fellow KRAS pioneer Amgen.
MD Anderson is already involved in a phase 1/2 clinical trial of adagrasib in patients with advanced solid tumors. That study is assessing adagrasib as a single agent and in combination with Keytruda, Erbitux and Giotrif. The progress of MRTX1133 into human testing will open up another set of R&D opportunities for Mirati.