Sanofi’s cancer drug pipeline has just one antibody-drug conjugate, the last remnant of a nearly decade-old research alliance that hasn’t been as successful as hoped. But ADCs have seen a resurgence in recent years, and Sanofi wants to ensure it becomes part of this growing field of cancer treatments, so it signed a multi-drug deal with ADC specialist Seagen.
This cooperate Announced Wednesday, it calls on Sanofi and Seagen to collaborate on ADCs targeting up to three cancer targets. Those targets remain undisclosed, but the companies say they have already picked the first one. Sanofi will pay Seagen an undisclosed sum for each target selected. The partners will share the development costs of the ADC as well as profits from any drugs commercialized by the alliance.
ADC is a cancer therapy consisting of antibodies associated with toxic drug payloads. The antibody targets specific proteins on cancer cells and is designed to strike the tumor with precision to protect healthy cells. Nonetheless, early ADC efforts to produce drugs were limited by toxic effects. One of the challenges is that some of the cancer-fighting portion of the treatment may be released prematurely while circulating in the body, causing toxicity to healthy tissue.
ADC developers have been working to improve the design of these molecules to ensure that the toxic drug payload stays on board until it reaches the cancer cell. They got better. Of the 11 ADCs approved by the FDA, 6 have passed the regulatory bar in the past two years. Seagen has four approved ADCs, the most recent being Tivdak, a treatment for cervical cancer The Bothell, Washington-based biotechnology company was developed in partnership with Genmab. The Danish biotech company provides antibodies for therapy that are combined with Seagen’s ADC technology. The Sanofi/Seagen alliance is similarly structured, pairing the US company’s ADC technology with the pharma giant’s monoclonal antibodies.
The only ADC in Sanofi’s pipeline, tusamitamab ravtansine, stems from a partnership with ImmunoGen. The drug targets a protein called CEACAM-5, which is being developed to treat a variety of cancers. The most advanced of these is a Phase 3 test in non-small cell lung cancer. The alliance was formed in 2003 and initially involved multiple drugs.
At Seagen, Sanofi has added a well-established partner in the ADC space with experience advancing such treatments through clinical development and regulatory approval. In addition to Genmab, Seagen’s partners include Astellas, Takeda and Merck. But the new Sanofi/Seagen alliance has plenty of other competitors in the growing ADC space. Pyxis Oncology licensed its ADC technology from Pfizer, went public last October and raised $168 million. After the IPO is Startup Mythic Therapeutics closes $103 million funding roundBoth companies have technologies designed to ensure that ADC drug payloads reach cancer cells rather than healthy cells.Other ADC developers that have raised funds in the past year include Adcendo, Adcentrxand Profound Bio, a biotech company led by Seagen veterans.
Photo: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg via Getty Images
