Arcus Biosciences Partners with AVEO Oncology to Test Kidney Cancer Combination Therapy — Arcus Biosciences, Inc.

Event summary

Arcus Biosciences and AVEO Oncology have entered a clinical supply agreement to evaluate casdatifan in combination with tivozanib for advanced kidney cancer patients.
The new randomized cohort within ARC-20 will compare casdatifan plus tivozanib against tivozanib alone in patients who received prior HIF-2α-inhibitor therapy.
Arcus will conduct and sponsor the study, while AVEO will supply tivozanib; each company retains development and commercial rights to its respective compounds.
Casdatifan is a small-molecule HIF-2α inhibitor designed for deep and durable inhibition of the HIF-2α pathway, with early clinical studies showing high response rates.

The big picture

This partnership aligns with a broader industry trend of developing combination therapies to address the complexity of treating advanced cancers. The agreement underscores Arcus's strategy to establish casdatifan as a backbone therapy across multiple lines of treatment for clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC). By leveraging AVEO’s tivozanib, Arcus aims to expand therapeutic options for patients who have progressed on existing HIF-2α inhibitors.

What we're watching

Clinical Efficacy: Whether the combination of casdatifan and tivozanib will demonstrate superior efficacy in patients previously treated with HIF-2α inhibitors.
Regulatory Pathway: The pace at which Arcus can advance casdatifan through Phase 3 studies and secure regulatory approvals for its combination therapies.
Competitive Positioning: How this collaboration positions Arcus against competitors in the kidney cancer treatment landscape, particularly in the second-line setting.