Genmab and ADC Therapeutics Enter Co-Development Collaboration for an Antibody-Drug Conjugate Combining HuMax-TAC and PBD Warhe
17 Juin 2013 - 7:45AM
Media Release
- Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) to be developed for
cancer
- Combines strength of HuMax(R)-TAC with next generation
PBD-based warhead technology
- 50:50 partnership
COPENHAGEN, Denmark and LAUSANNE, Switzerland, June 17, 2013
(GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Genmab A/S (Copenhagen:GEN)
and ADC Therapeutics Sarl announced today an agreement to
develop a new antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) product combining
Genmab's HuMax-TAC antibody and ADC Therapeutics' PBD-based warhead
and linker technology. The Companies have been conducting
in vitro and in vivo studies since 2012 to investigate different
warhead and linker combinations with HuMax-TAC, and now have the
product ready for pre-IND preclinical development. The
product will be developed for multiple cancer indications. Genmab
and ADC Therapeutics will each initially have an equal share in the
product. In the first instance, ADC Therapeutics will lead and fund
preclinical development. Prior to the submission of an
application to conduct clinical studies in patients (IND filing),
Genmab may elect to retain equal ownership of the
product. Genmab will not incur any development costs prior to
the IND filing decision and Genmab will maintain a minimum 25%
ownership stake in the product as it moves into clinical
development. No other financial terms were disclosed.
"We believe our unique HuMax-TAC antibody has optimal
characteristics for creation of an ultra-potent antibody-drug
conjugate when used in combination with ADC Therapeutics' novel
PBD-based warhead and linker technology, which employs an emerging
class of highly potent anticancer agents. This agreement is
another example of a win-win partnership combining Genmab's
state-of-the-art antibody development expertise with the latest
advance in antibody-payload technology," said Jan van de Winkel,
Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Genmab. Dr. Peter B. Corr,
Chairman of ADC Therapeutics said: "We are very excited to be
developing an ADC with our new partner Genmab and incorporating our
next generation PBD-based toxins into this product. Our
warhead payload technology enjoys exquisite potency, optimised
conjugation and pharmaceutical properties that maintain activity in
highly resistant cancers. Our pre-clinical data for this
product indicate the potential for curative efficacy in highly
resistant populations at low ADC doses of this product in several
oncology indications, an area with critical unmet needs".
This agreement does not affect Genmab's 2013 financial guidance.
About HuMax-TAC HuMax-TAC is a high-affinity fully
human antibody targeting CD25, a therapeutic target with strong
clinical validation. CD25 is expressed on a variety of
hematological tumors and shows limited expression on normal
tissues, which makes it a very attractive target for
antibody-payload approaches. With HuMax-TAC-ADC, we aim to develop
a first-in-class antibody-drug conjugate for the potential
treatment of CD25-expressing lymphomas and leukemias. About
PBD Warheads & Linkers ADCs developed using ADC
Therapeutics' technology combine monoclonal antibodies specific to
particular tumor targets with highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine
(PBD) based warheads developed by ADC Therapeutic's partner
Spirogen Limited. These PBD warheads are joined to antibodies by
linkers that release the PBD warhead in the targeted cancer cells.
This technology has attracted the attention of other biotechnology
companies such as Genentech and Seattle Genetics. About ADC
Therapeutics ADC Therapeutics Sarl (ADCT) is a Swiss-based
oncology drug development company that specializes in the
development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs)
targeting major cancers such as breast, lung, prostate, renal and
blood. The Company's ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which
combine monoclonal antibodies specific to particular types of tumor
cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine
(PBD)-based warheads. As its PBD-based chemistries do not distort
the structure of the DNA it gives the prospect of highly potent,
target-selective cancer therapies with fewer side effects and the
potential to pre-empt resistance issues faced by other anti-cancer
products on the market. The company was formed in 2012 with a $50m
commitment from private equity firm Auven Therapeutics (previously
known as Celtic Therapeutics). ADCT has a strategic collaboration
with Spirogen Ltd, also an Auven Therapeutics' portfolio company,
for the supply of warhead chemistries and R&D services. It
operates a virtual business model based in Lausanne,
Switzerland.
For further information please see:www.adctherapeutics.com.
About Genmab A/S Genmab is a publicly traded,
international biotechnology company specializing in the creation
and development of differentiated human antibody therapeutics for
the treatment of cancer. Founded in 1999, the company's first
marketed antibody, ofatumumab (Arzerra(r)), was approved to treat
chronic lymphocytic leukemia in patients who are refractory to
fludarabine and alemtuzumab after less than eight years in
development. Genmab's validated and next generation antibody
technologies are expected to provide a steady stream of future
product candidates. Partnering of innovative product
candidates and technologies is a key focus of Genmab's strategy and
the company has alliances with top tier pharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies. For more information visit
www.genmab.com.
Contact
Genmab:
Rachel
Curtis Gravesen, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations &
Communication
T: +45 33 44 77 20; M: +45 25 12 62 60; E: r.gravesen@genmab.com
Contact ADC Therapeutics: Sue Charles/Stefanie
Bacher/Gemma Howe, College Hill Life Sciences (PR Agency for ADC
Therapeutics)
T: +44 (0) 20 7457 202; E: adct@collegehill.com
This Media Release contains forward looking statements. The
words "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend" and "plan" and
similar expressions identify forward looking statements. Actual
results or performance may differ materially from any future
results or performance expressed or implied by such statements. The
important factors that could cause our actual results or
performance to differ materially include, among others, risks
associated with pre-clinical and clinical development of products,
uncertainties related to the outcome and conduct of clinical trials
including unforeseen safety issues, uncertainties related to
product manufacturing, the lack of market acceptance of our
products, our inability to manage growth, the competitive
environment in relation to our business area and markets, our
inability to attract and retain suitably qualified personnel, the
unenforceability or lack of protection of our patents and
proprietary rights, our relationships with affiliated entities,
changes and developments in technology which may render our
products obsolete, and other factors. For a further discussion of
these risks, please refer to the risk management sections in
Genmab's most recent financial reports, which are available on
www.genmab.com . Genmab does not undertake any obligation to update
or revise forward looking statements in this Media Release nor to
confirm such statements in relation to actual results, unless
required by law.
Genmab A/S and its subsidiaries own the following trademarks:
Genmab(R); the Y-shaped Genmab logo(R); HuMax(R); HuMax-CD20(R);
DuoBody(R), HexaBodyTM and UniBody(R). Arzerra(R) is a trademark of
GlaxoSmithKline.
Media Release no. 04 CVR no. 2102 3884
Genmab A/S Bredgade 34E 1260 Copenhagen K Denmark