Bristol-Myers Squibb and the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center to Collaborate on U.S. Immuno-Oncology Rare Population Malignancy Research Program

• Bristol-Myers Squibb, Co.

Bristol-Myers Squibb has entered into a collaboration agreement with The Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center at Johns Hopkins as part of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Immuno-Oncology Rare Population Malignancy (I-O RPM) program in the U.S. The I-O RPM research program is a multi-institutional initiative with academic-based cancer centers focused on the clinical investigation of immuno-oncology therapeutics as potential treatment options for patients with high risk, poor prognostic cancers, defined as a rare population malignancy.

As part of the I-O RPM program, Bristol-Myers Squibb and the Johns Hopkins Kimmel Cancer Center will conduct a range of early phase clinical studies and Bristol-Myers Squibb will fund positions within The Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine fellowship program.

“Johns Hopkins has been a long-time collaborator with Bristol-Myers Squibb in immuno-oncology research,” said Laura Bessen, M.D., head of U.S. Medical, Bristol-Myers Squibb. “We look forward to working with them as part of the I-O RPM research program as we continue to advance the science in this innovative field of cancer research and development, particularly among subpopulations of patients with high risk, poor prognostic cancers.”

About I-O RPM

Immuno-oncology is an innovative approach to cancer research and treatment that is designed to harness the body’s own immune system to fight cancer. The I-O RPM research program focuses on significant areas of high unmet need marked by poor outcomes among patients with rare population malignancies. A rare population malignancy is a subpopulation within a higher incident disease population. These patients have aggressive disease with an increased potential for early metastasis to multiple sites and/or are initially refractory or subject to early recurrences with conventional cancer therapies. Existing clinical research provide a strong rationale for further research into the potential of immunotherapies for these cancers.