PharmAbcine, a Korean antibody treatment developer, said it would collaborate with the U.S. Merck (known as MSD outside North America) to develop PMC-309, a “VISTA (V-domain Ig suppressor of T cell activation) antibody, for a phase 1 study.

PMC-309 will be tested for its safety and efficacy in advanced solid cancer patients in Australia.

The clinical protocol includes combination therapy with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy.

Under the agreement, MSD will provide PharmAbcine with immunotherapy development know-how and anti-PD-1 immunotherapy Keytruda (ingredient: pembrolizumab) for the phase 1 trial, for free.

According to PharmAbcine, PMC-309 is an IgG1 monoclonal antibody with specificity that binds only to VISTA in immunosuppressive cells and has an excellent binding ability to various PH conditions in the tumor microenvironment (TME).

Through several animal experiments, the company confirmed its anticancer effect as monotherapy or in combination with an anti-PD-1 immunotherapeutic agent.

“The differentiated mechanism of PMC-309, which activates T cells by regulating immunosuppressive cells, will be a good alternative to overcome the limitations of existing immune checkpoint inhibitors,” said Yoo Jin-san, CEO of PharmAbcine. “We hope to see positive results in the phase 1 clinical trial.”