EMD 1201081 + cetuximab

EMD 1201081 + cetuximab is a combination of an immunomodulatory oligonucleotide (EMD 1201081) and a monoclonal antibody (cetuximab) investigated for the treatment of recurrent or metastatic squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck (R/M SCCHN). EMD 1201081 is a synthetic phosphorothioate oligodeoxynucleotide that acts as an agonist of Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9), leading to immune system activation. Cetuximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody that inhibits the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR), thus blocking cell proliferation signals in cancer cells. The combination was evaluated in phase 2 clinical trials to determine if it offers increased antitumor activity compared to cetuximab monotherapy; while well tolerated, the combination did not demonstrate increased efficacy over cetuximab alone[1][2][4][5].