Portage Biotech collaborating with Merck to evaluate antitumor combination

Portage Biotech (PRTG) has entered into a clinical trial collaboration agreement with Merck (MRK) to evaluate Portage’s next-generation adenosine antagonists in combination with Keytruda – pembrolizumab -, Merck’s anti-PD-1 therapy, for patients with solid tumors. The collaboration will explore Portage’s adenosine 2A receptor antagonist, PORT-6, its adenosine 2B receptor antagonist, PORT-7, individually and together in combination with Keytruda in prostate, renal, head and neck, colorectal, endometrial, ovarian and non-small cell lung cancers. Under the terms of the agreement, Merck will provide Keytruda for Portage Biotech’s ADPORT-601, an adaptive Phase 1a/1b trial which plans to integrate proprietary biomarkers for selecting patients with high adenosine expression in order to identify those more likely to respond and have potential to benefit most from treatment.