Is it time to worry about CD47?

The whole immuno-oncology world got chastened earlier this year when IDO, pegged as the next big thing in cancer treatment, fizzled in late-stage testing. And so Celgene’s decision to terminate a trial involving the next-next big thing, announced yesterday, raised a few eyebrows.

Celgene bailed on a study testing a drug that targets CD47, a protein that helps cancer cells stay out of the immune system’s crosshairs. That wouldn’t seem like a big deal, but blocking CD47 remains a somewhat controversial approach, one skeptics say might struggle to live up to preclinical expectations and carry safety risks.

But other biotechs in the CD47 field said they weren’t surprised by Celgene’s decision, pointing to differences in biology and trial design that give them hope the new approach can prove itself in time.

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