CellCentric, an innovative UK-based biotechnology company, today announces a strategic investment from Pfizer including $25m to help finance further development of inobrodib, its first-in-class p300/CBP inhibitor to treat specific types of cancer. Pfizer will support CellCentric with its own clinical development program in multiple myeloma (MM) for 2024, alongside ongoing trials in specific haematological malignancies, through its Pfizer Ignite offering.

As part of the collaboration, Astrid Ruefli-Brasse, Vice President, Tumour Biology, Pfizer Worldwide Research & Development, will join CellCentric’s Scientific Advisory Board and Sriram Krishnaswami, Vice President and Development Head, Multiple Myeloma, Pfizer Global Product Development, will serve as an advisor to CellCentric.

Today’s agreement follows the US Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) recent granting of a Fast Track designation for inobrodib to treat patients with late-stage relapsed refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) and orphan drug designation in MM. CellCentric's ongoing blood cancer trial (NCT04068597) involves patients with a range of haematological malignancies including multiple myeloma, but also non-Hodgkin lymphoma, acute myeloid leukaemia, and higher-risk myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS). 

CellCentric plans to announce its expansion cohort data at the 65th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition which will take place December 9-12, 2023, in San Diego. This will include data from a trial of inobrodib both as a monotherapy and in combination with pomalidomide and plus dexamethasone.

“We are delighted to partner with Pfizer to facilitate planning an optimal route to market for inobrodib. This agreement will enable us to build on the strong early clinical data observed to date in RRMM patients” said Will West, CEO and Co-founder, CellCentric. “We look forward to making inobrodib available to a broader population of patients, particularly those who are underserved by existing therapies.”

“Today’s agreement with CellCentric will help deliver the next phase of clinical trials for inobrodib, and we look forward to sharing our capabilities and deep understanding of the science behind blood cancers to support the development of this program,” said Astrid Ruefli-Brasse, Vice President, Tumour Biology, Pfizer. “We believe CellCentric’s pioneering work to develop a therapeutic that targets p300/CBP represents a potentially significant new treatment option for patients living with multiple myeloma.”

Pfizer Ignite is a new end-to-end service for biotech companies with high potential early science that leverages Pfizer’s significant R&D capabilities, scale and expertise to accelerate the development of breakthrough therapies.