EDISON, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Seven and Eight BioPharmaceuticals Inc. announced today that it has signed a clinical research collaboration agreement with Merck (known as MSD outside the US and Canada), through a subsidiary, to explore the combination of Seven and Eight?s BDB001, an immune modulator targeting toll-like receptors (TLR) 7 and 8, and Merck?s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA? (pembrolizumab) in treating patients with advanced solid tumors.

?We are pleased to enter into a clinical collaboration with Merck?

?We are pleased to enter into a clinical collaboration with Merck,? says Dr. Walter Lau, CEO of Seven and Eight. ?There has been increasing evidence to show toll-like receptor agonists as a class of immune modulators to stimulate innate immune responses and enhance adaptive anti-tumor immunity. We hope through our joint efforts with Merck, we can explore how to use our lead compound BDB001 together with KEYTRUDA, especially in treating those patients with advanced and difficult-to-treat tumor types.? Dr. Lau adds, ?Seven and Eight is developing a clinical pipeline that aims to address unmet medical needs. This clinical collaboration with Merck represents yet another step in our efforts to help cancer patients who fail to derive desirable clinical benefits from existing therapies.? Under the terms of the agreement, Seven and Eight will sponsor and be responsible for the conduct of the clinical study. KEYTRUDA? is a registered trademark of Merck Sharp & Dohme Corp., a subsidiary of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ, USA. About Seven and Eight BioPharmaceuticals Inc. Seven and Eight BioPharmaceuticals Inc. is an Edison, NJ-based, clinical-stage biotech company focused on the development and commercialization of novel immunotherapies for cancer. The company specializes in TLR7/8 programs to treat cancer and has built a comprehensive global intellectual property portfolio in the category of toll-like receptor modulators. Managed by a seasoned team of professionals, the company is progressing a proprietary pipeline of cancer therapeutics, with one of the lead products, BDB001, in Phase I clinical trials in the U.S.