Nuvectis Pharma Inc. has been in business for barely two years, but thanks to a business model involving in-licensing promising late preclinical drug candidates, it has already begun a trial with a molecule targeting a little-known pathway that cancer cells depend on for protection. The firm is also close to the clinic with a drug that could give a new twist to tyrosine kinase inhibition after a $16 million financing round in early August.
With potential regulatory approvals and filings for lymphoproliferative disease and mastocytosis drugs on the horizon, as well as high-money antibody-drug conjugate deals, the BioWorld Cancer Index (BCI) has shown some signs of life this summer. BCI is still down by 23.4% in 2022, but that is significantly better than the end of May when the index was down by 41%.
Additional deaths believed to be associated with one of Foghorn Therapeutics Inc.'s lead candidates led the U.S. FDA to put a full clinical hold on its phase I study in relapsed and/or refractory acute myelogenous leukemia and myelodysplastic syndrome.
Likely to garner attention at the upcoming European Society of Medical Oncology meeting are the MAGE-A4 and PRAME antigens which, although well-known and validated, have proved evasive for drug developers – a situation that may soon change.
Etherna Immunotherapies NV has raised €39 million (US$39 million) in new financing as it pivots to an mRNA-platform strategy. It has added a couple of heavy hitters to its board and its roster of investors, indicating that the move has already gained traction in the marketplace.
Kyowa Kirin Co. Ltd.’s decision, disclosed July 26, to quit development of the adenosine A2a receptor antagonist KW-6356 for Parkinson’s disease (PD) didn’t do much to flatten interest in the target, still under investigation by other firms in cancer.
Ryvu Therapeutics SA aims to move its lead drug candidate RVU-120 into three phase III trials in the first half of next year, to evaluate its potential in acute myeloid leukemia and high-risk myelodysplastic syndrome, in low-risk MDS, and in a number of solid-tumor indications.
Everest Medicines Ltd. has inked an agreement with Gilead Sciences Inc. to pass the latter’s subsidiary, Immunomedics Inc., exclusive rights to develop and commercialize Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan) in greater China, Singapore, Indonesia, Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, Malaysia and Mongolia. Everest stands to receive up to $455 million in total consideration, including $280 million up front and up to $175 million in potential milestone payments.
A subsidiary of Jiangxi Jemincare Group Co. Ltd. has out-licensed global rights to its androgen receptor degrader JMKX-002992 to Roche Holding AG and its subsidiary Genentech Inc. in a deal worth up to $650 million. Shanghai Jemincare Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. will receive $60 million up front and is eligible to collect up to $590 million for achieving development, regulatory and sales-based milestone targets.
The race to develop an oral selective estrogen receptor degrader (SERD) is under fresh scrutiny in light of Sanofi SA’s decision to axe development of its late-stage compound amcenestrant on Aug. 17, citing lack of efficacy in breast cancer trials. While there are concerns about the new class after Sanofi’s decision, a clear signal about its future could be growing nearer. The driver? Menarini Group and its development partner, Radius Health Inc., are advancing elacestrant, an oral SERD into regulatory reviews on both sides of the Atlantic.
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