Peregrine Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Nasdaq:PPHM) (Nasdaq:PPHMP), a biopharmaceutical company focused on bavituximab, a novel immuno-oncology agent in Phase III development for the treatment of lung cancer, has entered into a sponsored research agreement with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center (MSK) to explore the potential of Peregrine’s proprietary phosphatidylserine (PS)-targeting antibody platform. The goal of the research is to identify effective treatment combinations based on Peregrine’s PS-targeting agents, including Peregrine’s lead clinical agent bavituximab, with other checkpoint inhibitors or immune stimulating agents that will further guide the bavituximab clinical development program.

As part of the collaboration, researchers at MSK will conduct research to further explore the combination of PS-targeting agents, including bavituximab, that block a primary immunosuppressive pathway thereby allowing anti-tumor immune responses with other immuno-stimulatory agents that enhance immune responses. Specifically, MSK researchers will examine the combination of bavituximab alongside models of checkpoint blockade that are unresponsive to inhibition or co-stimulation given the ability of bavituximab to reprogram myeloid derived suppressor cells (MDSC) and increase tumoricidal T-cells in tumors, a mechanism of action that is complementary to checkpoint blockade and T-cell activation.