The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has accepted CytomX Therapeutics and Bristol-Myers Squibb’s joint Investigational New Drug application (IND). The application is for a CTLA-4-directed Probody therapeutic, the first target to advance into the clinic under the companies’ strategic collaboration formed in May 2014. 

That partnership was expanded in March 2017, taking total upfront payments to CytomX to $275 million. In return, the collaboration provided Bristol-Myers Squibb with the opportunity to select up to ten oncology targets and two non-oncology targets.

“Immune checkpoint inhibitors are making a profound impact in the treatment of people with cancer,” said Sean McCarthy, D.Phil., president and chief executive officer of CytomX Therapeutics. “We are excited to see the CTLA-4 Probody advancing into the clinic and look forward to additional progress in our foundational alliance with Bristol-Myers Squibb.”
 

This new IND acceptance results in a $10 million milestone payment to CytomX.