Pharma companies spent at least $1.4 billion upfront and committed over $5 billion in potential milestones on anti-TIGIT immuno-oncology R&D and licensing deals, but many projects have since been abandoned due to disappointing clinical results1.
Key players including Bristol Myers Squibb, Gilead, GSK, Novartis, Merck and Roche pursued TIGIT-targeting drugs, with some still pursuing development but most having retreated after failed trials and insufficient efficacy134.
GSK paid $625 million upfront for rights to iTeos Therapeutics’ belrestotug, but the program was shelved after Phase 2 trials in lung cancer and head and neck cancer failed to show meaningful improvements in progression-free survival or response rates235.
Other firms, such as Merck (vibostolimab) and BeiGene (ociperlimab), also ended TIGIT development following negative or inconclusive results in Phase 3 studies4.
Roche and Genentech’s tiragolumab, in combination with Tecentriq, failed to significantly improve survival in advanced non-small cell lung cancer in a major Phase 3 trial, further diminishing hopes for the class4.
Gilead remains invested with ongoing development, having spent over $740 million in equity on Arcus Biosciences for access to domvanalimab, but the commercial viability remains uncertain given Arcus’ plummeting share price and pending clinical results1.
The setbacks have led to strategic reviews and cost-cutting measures by biotech partners, and cast doubt on the future of TIGIT as a promising immunotherapy target234.
Sources:
1. https://www.biospace.com/business/tigit-turmoil-how-pharma-burned-billions-on-failed-immuno-oncology-projects
2. https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/iteos-gsk-tigit-belrestotug-end-development-lung-cancer/747947/
3. https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/gsk-axes-tigit-drug-midphase-survival-data-disappoint-promoting-partner-iteos-cut-costs
4. https://www.precisionmedicineonline.com/precision-oncology/experts-consider-future-anti-tigit-drugs-light-tiragolumab-failure-nsclc
5. https://www.clinicaltrialsarena.com/news/gsk-iteos-drop-tigit-trial-failure/