A PD-L1 checkpoint inhibitor discovered at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is on its way to showing efficacy in line with Merck’s Keytruda and Regeneron/Sanofi’s Libtayo, with potentially better tolerability.

But the clinical developer of the candidate, Checkpoint Therapeutics (Nasdaq: CKPT), doesn’t plan to end there.

The company is planning a rapid adoption strategy of discount pricing in a $25 billion market now dominated by six drugs, each selling for about $165K a year.

Interim data released at last year’s ESMO showed the candidate cosibelimab running neck-in-neck with Keytruda and Libtayo in efficacy measures, with potentially better tolerability.

A pivotal trial is now underway in cSCC, a potentially lethal skin cancer, giving it direct aim at Libtayo with estimated sales of over $300 million this year.  Next up will be a clinical program in NSCLC, currently the main indication for Merck’s Keytruda, a $13 billion franchise.

CKPT ended 1Q20 with $21.5 million in cash and cash equivalents.

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