Rumoured for some time, in November 2020 it was announced that Merck had acquired OncoImmune in a cash transaction soon after the firm revealed positive top-line findings from an interim efficacy analysis of a Phase 3 study evaluating its lead therapeutic candidate CD24Fc for the treatment of patients with severe and critical COVID-19. Formerly located in Michigan and having close ties to University of Michigan, Ann Arbor before relocating to Rockville, MD., long-time SBIR Involved OncoImmune Inc. is a clinical-stage biotechnology company initially focused on developing and commercializing biopharmaceuticals for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune disease. Including protein therapeutics, monoclonal antibodies, and small molecular drugs, the firm has been developing solutions for a variety of autoimmune and infectious diseases including multiple sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, sepsis, tuberous sclerosis, acute myeloid leukemia and diabetic nephropathy. The firm has moved their lead product - CD24Fc - from a basic concept into clinical trials. CD24Fc has a novel mechanism of action that is applicable to a number of autoimmune diseases and has shown good safety and tolerability in a Phase I clinical trial in healthy volunteers. In two Phase 2 trials in GVHD, the firm reported having observed clinical activity. Similar clinical activity was observed in the Phase 3 trial in COVID-19. prior to Merck acquisition (late 2020) OncoImmune had also been preparing for a Phase II clinical trial of CD24Fc for the prophylactic treatment of acute Graft versus Host Disease (GvHD).
