By RTT News, January 12, 2015, 08:18:00 AM EDT

(RTTNews.com) - Seattle Genetics, Inc. ( SGEN ) and Bristol-Myers Squibb Co. ( BMY ) Monday said they have entered into a clinical trial collaboration agreement to evaluate the investigational combination of Seattle Genetics' antibody-drug conjugate, or ADC, Adcetris (brentuximab vedotin) and Bristol-Myers Squibb's immunotherapy Opdivo (nivolumab) in two planned Phase 1/2 clinical trials.

The first trial will evaluate the combination of Adcetris and Opdivo as a potential treatment option for patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma or HL, and the second trial will focus on patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell and T-cell non-Hodgkin lymphomas, including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma.

Adcetris is an ADC directed to CD30, a defining marker of classical HL, which combines the targeting ability of a monoclonal antibody with the potency of a cell-killing agent. Opdivo is a human programmed death receptor-1 blocking antibody that binds to the PD-1 receptor expressed on activated T-cells.

The studies are expected to begin in 2015, with Seattle Genetics conducting the HL trial and Bristol-Myers Squibb conducting the NHL trial.

Adcetris is approved in relapsed HL and systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma, but is not currently approved for the treatment of relapsed, transplant eligible HL or for the treatment of other types of NHL. Opdivo is currently not approved for the treatment of lymphoma.

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Seattle Genetics, Bristol-Myers Report Clinical Trial Collaboration