Astellas Pharma already has the first approval of the FDA for a therapy that persecutes Claudin 18.2, a protein whose overexpression on the surface of the cells in the gastrointestinal cancers makes it an attractive drug target. But the company has shown interest in looking for multiple ways to drug this objective, and is promoting this strategy with an agreement that ensures the rights to a clinical stage molecule of Evopoint Biosciences.
The approved medication of Astellas, Vyloy, is a monoclonal antibody. The Japanese medication manufacturer is also developing a specific Bi antibody that is directed to the intestinal protein, which is usually in a short distance to CDN18.2. The candidate for the drug of Evopoint, XNW27011, is the type or drug called conjugate antibody drug (ADC).
For terms of agreement announced on Thursday night, Astellas agreed to pay $ 130 million in advance for the rights of the Evopoint drugs. Astellas said Evopoint’s medicine conforms to its pipe, which includes other approaches for CDN and ADC in development for other objectives. XNW27011 is currently in phase 1/2 tests in China, where Evopoint is based. The study is evaluating the drug in solid tumors that express CDN18.2, which include gastric cancer, gastroesophageal cancer and pancreatic cancer.
Vyloy was approved last October to treat the adenocarcinoma of gastric or gastloesophage (GEJ) that expresses CDN18.2. While Astellas was the first to win the regulatory approach to a drug that pursues this protein, other companies remain in persecution or that goal. This potential competition includes ADC. The Astrazeneca ADC, with the AZD0901 code, has reached phase 3 tests in gastric adenocarcinoma and GEJ. Earlier this year, Biopharma arrived authorized an ADC led by CDN18.2 by Lepu Biopharma, based in Shanghai. But some ADC efforts have fallen short against this goal. The elevation oncology suspended the development of its CLDN18.2 guidance ADC in March due to the disappointing results of phase 1.
Astellas Agreement with Evopoint gives the Japanese company global rights to XNW27011, excluding Continental China, Hong Kong, Macao and Taiwan. Beyond the payment in advance, the agreement puts Evopoint online for up to $ 70 million in short -term payments. Milestone payments could bring the total to $ 1.34 billion. If Astellas can market the ADC, the company will also pay Evopoint royalties for the sales of the medicine.
“We hope to take advantage of our experience in aiming CDN18.2 and a specialized knowledge in Canners GI to advance XNW27011 and offer significant results to patients,” said Adam Pearson, director of Astellas strategy, in a prepared statement.