At a time when much of the biopharma space can’t seem to get enough of antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), Bristol Myers Squibb Co. is backing away from a potential $3 billion-plus collaboration with Eisai Co. Ltd., handing back full rights to the latter’s folate receptor alpha-targeting ADC, farletuzumab ecteribulin (FZEC), citing a portfolio reprioritization. Global rights to FZEC now reside with Tokyo-based Eisai, which said it intends to accelerate work on the candidate, which is in three clinical studies, including two phase II trials in gynecological cancers and non-small-cell lung cancer.
Scientists at RMW Cho Group Ltd. and Venner Shipley LLP have divulged chlorin K derivatives acting as photosensitizers reported to be used in photodynamic therapy (PDT) and photodynamic diagnosis of cancer.
Defence Therapeutics Inc. has demonstrated that its second-generation ARM-X anticancer vaccine is therapeutically effective against pre-established ovarian cancer (ID8 model) when combined with an anti-PD-1 immune checkpoint inhibitor.
CDR-Life Inc. has expanded its pipeline of novel T-cell engagers (TCE) with the addition of CDR-813 and CDR-505. CDR-813 is a highly potent and selective TCE candidate targeting tumors expressing PRAME (preferentially expressed antigen in melanoma) in HLA-A*02:01 patients.
Shanghai Qilu Pharmaceutical Research and Development Centre Ltd. has identified membrane-associated tyrosine- and threonine-specific Cdc2-inhibitory kinase (PKMYT1) inhibitors reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
Day One Biopharmaceuticals Inc. has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Mabcare Therapeutics for MTX-13, a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting protein-tyrosine kinase 7 (PTK7). Under the agreement, Day One has exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize MTX-13 (now DAY-301), worldwide, excluding Greater China.
Daegu-Gyeongbuk Medical Innovation Foundation has disclosed estrogen receptor α (ER-α; ESR1) antagonists reported to be useful for the treatment of cancer.
The overexpression of choline-kinase alpha (CKα) promotes aberrant choline metabolism in epithelial ovarian cancer, thus increasing phosphocholine- and total choline-containing compounds. Previous findings had shown that silencing CKα impacted cell proliferation, migration and invasion, and CKα was hypothesized to be a potential new therapeutic target for ovarian cancer.
Zymeworks Inc. has obtained IND clearance from the FDA for ZW-171, a novel T-cell targeting bispecific antibody for mesothelin (MSLN)-expressing cancers. Clinical development will begin this year, and additional applications will be filed in the second half of the year seeking trial clearances in other territories.
