Lilly, Boehringer Ingelheim collaborating on clinical trial

13-Jul-2016 - Last updated on 14-Jul-2016 at 15:57 GMT

Enrollment is set to begin late this year. (Image: iStock)

Eli Lilly and Company and Boehringer Ingelheim have announced that they are collaborating on a clinical trial in metastatic breast cancer.

The Ph1b study will evaluate abemaciclib (LY2835219), Lilly's cyclin-dependent kinase (CDK) 4 and CDK 6 inhibitor, in combination with BI 836845, Boehringer Ingelheim's insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1/IGF-2 ligand neutralizing antibody.

Following results from the Ph 1b trial, the collaboration may extend to Ph II trials in patients with HR+, HER2- mBC and other solid tumors.

According to Lilly, “The rationale for the collaboration is based upon the hypothesis that these two agents, in combination, could offer a more complete pathway interference and could potentially prolong cell cycle arrest. For HR+, HER2- mBC patients, this could translate to a reversal of resistance to hormone therapy.”

Boehringer Ingelheim will be the sponsor of the study program and enrollment is set to begin late this year.

Lilly is not disclosing any additional details at this point.