Phanes Therapeutics Expands Merck Collaboration for Biliary Tract Cancer

The agreement builds upon an existing 2023 collaboration, integrating spevatamig into a regimen designed to treat patients with advanced biliary tract cancer. Spevatamig functions as an innate immunity enhancer—a new class of oncology agents engineered to activate macrophages and dendritic cells. By targeting both claudin 18.2 and CD47, the drug aims to break through the defenses of "cold tumors" that typically resist standard immune checkpoint inhibitors.

Ming Wang, CEO of Phanes, noted that the expansion highlights the potential of combining innate immunity enhancers with established therapies to address difficult-to-treat malignancies. Beyond this new trial, the company continues to evaluate spevatamig across multiple Phase 2 studies, including investigations into pancreatic cancer, where the drug has already secured orphan drug and Fast Track designations from the FDA. The San Diego-based biotech firm utilizes its proprietary platforms to advance this pipeline of bispecific antibodies, positioning spevatamig as a versatile candidate for various solid tumor indications.