Arcus and Summit team up to test kidney cancer drug combo

Arcus Biosciences (NYSE: RCUS) and Summit Therapeutics (Nasdaq: SMMT) announced a clinical trial collaboration to evaluate the combination of Arcus's investigational HIF-2α inhibitor casdatifan with Summit's investigational PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody ivonescimab in clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC), including first-line metastatic disease.

Under the terms of the agreement, a new cohort will be added to Arcus's existing ARC-20 platform study. Summit will supply ivonescimab, while Arcus will conduct and sponsor the trial. Both companies will share costs and each will retain development and commercial rights to their respective drugs. Initial data from the collaboration is expected by mid-2027.

ccRCC is the most common form of kidney cancer in adults. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 80,450 Americans will be diagnosed with kidney cancer in 2026. The five-year survival rate for patients with advanced or late-stage metastatic kidney cancer is 19%.

Casdatifan is currently being studied across multiple cohorts in the ARC-20 platform study in metastatic ccRCC. Arcus is also enrolling patients in PEAK-1, a global Phase 3 study evaluating casdatifan plus cabozantinib versus cabozantinib alone in immunotherapy-experienced metastatic ccRCC. Arcus expects to complete PEAK-1 enrollment and initiate a Phase 3 first-line study by year-end 2026.

Ivonescimab, engineered by Akeso Inc. (HKEX: 9926.HK), is under evaluation in 15 announced, ongoing, or completed Phase 3 studies. A Biologics License Application for ivonescimab in a non-small cell lung cancer indication was accepted by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in January 2026, with a PDUFA goal date of November 14, 2026. Neither casdatifan nor ivonescimab has received regulatory approval in the United States or Europe.

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