Time for Gilead to cut magrolimab loose

Another week, another magrolimab setback. The four remaining solid tumour trials of the Gilead anti-CD47 MAb that were formally still ongoing have now been placed on clinical hold by the FDA, according to a statement Gilead quietly slipped out last night. Last week the project’s key phase 3 AML trial Enhance-3 was discontinued, along with all work in haematology, after an increased risk of death was seen in magrolimab-treated patients, and at the time Gilead said the solid tumour studies were ongoing, pending further review. Those remaining trials, involving triple-negative breast, head and neck, colorectal, lung and bladder cancers, are now suspended, a hold Gilead said also applied to solid tumour trials sponsored by academic centres, of which OncologyPipeline identifies at least five. Given the drip-drip of bad news that each magrolimab setback brings, it’s high time for Gilead to discontinue the project formally and accept that the $4.9bn acquisition of its maker, Forty Seven, was one of the worst business development decisions of recent years.

Last solid tumour trials standing, until yesterday

Note: *academic sponsored; **NCI sponsored. Source: OncologyPipeline.