CHMP Adopts Positive Opinion for BAVENCIO (avelumab) Plus Axitinib for First-Line Treatment of Patients with Advanced R

This release contains forward-looking information about BAVENCIO (avelumab), including a potential new indication in the European Union for BAVENCIO in combination with axitinib for the treatment of patients with advanced renal cell carcinoma, the alliance between Merck and Pfizer involving BAVENCIO and clinical development plans, including their potential benefits, that involves substantial risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by such statements. Risks and uncertainties include, among other things, uncertainties regarding the commercial success of BAVENCIO and axitinib; the uncertainties inherent in research and development, including the ability to meet anticipated clinical endpoints, commencement and/or completion dates for our clinical trials, regulatory submission dates, regulatory approval dates and/or launch dates, as well as the possibility of unfavorable new clinical data and further analyses of existing clinical data and uncertainties regarding whether the other primary endpoint of JAVELIN Renal 101 will be met; risks associated with interim data; the risk that clinical trial data are subject to differing interpretations and assessments by regulatory authorities; whether regulatory authorities will be satisfied with the design of and results from our clinical studies; whether and when any drug applications may be filed for BAVENCIO in combination with axitinib in any other jurisdictions or in any jurisdictions for any other potential indications for BAVENCIO or combination therapies; whether and when the pending applications in the European Union and Japan for BAVENCIO in combination with axitinib may be approved and whether and when regulatory authorities in any jurisdictions where any other applications are pending or may be submitted for BAVENCIO or combination therapies, including BAVENCIO in combination with axitinib may approve any such applications, which will depend on myriad factors, including making a determination as to whether the product's benefits outweigh its known risks and determination of the product's efficacy, and, if approved, whether they will be commercially successful; decisions by regulatory authorities impacting labeling, manufacturing processes, safety and/or other matters that could affect the availability or commercial potential of BAVENCIO or combination therapies, including BAVENCIO in combination with axitinib; and competitive developments.

A further description of risks and uncertainties can be found in Pfizer's Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2018, and in its subsequent reports on Form 10-Q, including in the sections thereof captioned "Risk Factors" and "Forward-Looking Information and Factors That May Affect Future Results", as well as in its subsequent reports on Form 8-K, all of which are filed with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and available at www.sec.gov [http://www.sec.gov/] and www.pfizer.com [http://www.pfizer.com/].

References

1. Motzer R, et al. Avelumab plus Axitinib versus Sunitinib for Advanced Renal Cell Carcinoma. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2019;380:1103-1115. 2. Ferlay J, Colombet M, Soerjomataram I, et al. Cancer incidence and mortality patterns in Europe: Estimates for 40 countries and 25 major cancers in 2018. Eur J Cancer. 2018;103:356-387. 3. Ljungberg B, Campbell S, Cho H. The epidemiology of renal cell carcinoma. Eur Urol. 2011;60:615-621. 4. Klatte T, Rossi SH, Stewart GD. Prognostic factors and prognostic models for renal cell carcinoma: a literature review. World J Urol. 2018;36(12):1943-1952. 5. Eggers H, Ivanyi P, Hornig M, Grünwald V. Predictive factors for second-line therapy in metastatic renal cell carcinoma: a retrospective analysis. J Kidney Cancer VHL. 2017;4(1):8-15. 6. Motzer R, et al. Nivolumab plus Ipilimumab versus Sunitinib in Advanced Renal-Cell Carcinoma. The New England Journal of Medicine. 2018;378:1277-1290. 7. Eichelberg C, Vervenne WL, De Santis M, et al. SWITCH: A randomised, sequential, open-label study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of sorafenib-sunitinib versus sunitinib-sorafenib in the treatment of metastatic renal cell cancer. Eur Urol. 2015;68;837-847. 8. Motzer RJ, Barrios CH, Kim TM, et al. Phase II randomized trial comparing sequential first-line everolimus and second-line sunitinib versus first-line sunitinib and second-line everolimus in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma. J Clin Oncol. 2014;32:2765-2772. 9. Ridge C, Pua B, Madoff D. Epidemiology and staging of renal cell carcinoma. Semin Intervent Radiol. 2014;31(1):3-8. 10. BAVENCIO Prescribing Information. Rockland, MA: EMD Serono Inc.; 2019. 11. Dolan DE, Gupta S. PD-1 pathway inhibitors: changing the landscape of cancer immunotherapy. Cancer Control. 2014;21(3):231-237. 12. Dahan R, Sega E, Engelhardt J, et al. Fc Rs modulate the anti-tumor activity of antibodies targeting the PD-1/PD-L1 axis. Cancer Cell. 2015;28(3):285-295. 13. Boyerinas B, Jochems C, Fantini M, et al. Antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity activity of a novel anti-PD-L1 antibody avelumab (MSB0010718C) on human tumor cells. Cancer Immunol Res. 2015;3(10):1148-1157. 14. Kohrt HE, Houot R, Marabelle A, et al. Combination strategies to enhance antitumor ADCC. Immunotherapy. 2012;4(5):511-527. 15. Hamilton G, Rath B. Avelumab: combining immune checkpoint inhibition and antibody-dependent cytotoxicity. Expert Opin Biol Ther. 2017;17(4):515-523. 16. BAVENCIO() (avelumab) EU SmPC. Available from: http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/ [http://www.ema.europa.eu/ema/]. Accessed September 2019.

Logo -- http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/611425/M... [http://mma.prnewswire.com/media/611425/M...]

Merck
Media Relations:
+49 6151 72 9591 gangolf.schrimpf@merckgroup.com[mailto:gangolf.schrimpf@merckgroup.com]
Investor Relations:
+49 6151 72 3321 investor.relations@merckgroup.com[mailto:investor.relations@merckgroup.com] Pfizer
Media Relations:
+44 7929 339 560 lisa.o'neill@pfizer.com[mailto:lisa.o'neill@pfizer.com]
Investor Relations:
+1 212 733 8160 ryan.crowe@pfizer.com[mailto:ryan.crowe@pfizer.com]