On November 9, 2021 Blueprint Medicines Corporation (NASDAQ: BPMC) and Zai Lab Limited (NASDAQ: ZLAB; HKEX: 9688) reported an exclusive collaboration and license agreement for the development and commercialization of BLU-945 and BLU-701 for the treatment of patients with epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) -driven non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in Greater China, including mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan (Press release, Blueprint Medicines, NOV 9, 2021, View Source [SID1234594834]). Discovered by Blueprint Medicines, BLU-945 and BLU-701 are investigational next-generation EGFR inhibitors with first-in-class potential.
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By combining Blueprint Medicines’ precision therapy expertise with Zai Lab’s development capabilities and established lung cancer franchise in Greater China, the collaboration aims to accelerate global development of BLU-945 and BLU-701 while addressing significant medical needs in China, where 40-50 percent of patients with NSCLC are believed to harbor EGFR mutations.1,2,3 Blueprint Medicines will retain all rights to BLU-945 and BLU-701 in the rest of the world.
"With deep development and commercial expertise in oncology across a broad portfolio including multiple precision therapies for lung cancer, Zai Lab is the ideal partner to help us bring to China our vision for transforming the care of patients with EGFR-driven lung cancer," said Jeff Albers, Chief Executive Officer of Blueprint Medicines. "Through this collaboration, we will also propel forward our development program for BLU-945 and BLU-701 with a broad clinical trial footprint in Greater China that complements our development efforts."
"We are excited to enter into this collaboration with Blueprint Medicines, a leader in precision medicine, to bring forward two potential first-in-class EGFR inhibitors exquisitely designed to treat or prevent on-target resistance," said Dr. Samantha Du, Founder, Chairwoman and Chief Executive Officer of Zai Lab. "With more than 800,000 newly diagnosed lung cancer patients annually, one of the highest EGFR mutation rates in the world, and with no available therapies to address on-target resistance to early-generation EGFR therapies, we believe we have a tremendous opportunity to improve patient care in China." 1-4
While targeted therapies have improved treatment for patients with EGFR-driven NSCLC, resistance inevitably emerges, with the T790M and C797S mutations being highly common on-target resistance mechanisms. Designed to address these challenges, BLU-945 and BLU-701 have the potential to be used either as a monotherapy or in combination, together or with other agents, to overcome or prevent on-target resistance across multiple lines of treatment. In addition, this collaboration enables opportunities to combine BLU-945 or BLU-701 with other Zai Lab lung cancer drug candidates to address off-target resistance mutations.
BLU-945 is a selective, potent EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor with activity against EGFR activating mutations combined with the T790M and C797S resistance mutations. It is highly selective over wild-type EGFR and off-target kinases, highlighting its potential to enable tolerable combinations. BLU-945 is currently being evaluated in the Phase 1/2 SYMPHONY trial in patients with previously treated EGFR-driven NSCLC (NCT04862780). BLU-701 is a selective, potent EGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor with activity against EGFR activating mutations combined with the C797S resistance mutation. It has shown significant central nervous system (CNS) penetration in preclinical studies, which is meaningful because in EGFR-mutant NSCLC patients with baseline brain metastases, up to 40 percent of disease progressions involve CNS metastases.5
Subject to the terms of the agreement, Blueprint Medicines will receive an upfront cash payment of $25 million and will be eligible to receive up to $590 million in potential development, regulatory and sales-based milestone payments, and tiered royalties on a product-by-product basis ranging from the low-teens to mid-teens on annual net sales of BLU-945 and BLU-701 in Greater China, subject to adjustment in specified circumstances. In addition, Zai Lab will be responsible for all the development costs for BLU-945 and BLU-701 occurring in Greater China and will receive the rights to develop and exclusively commercialize BLU-945 and BLU-701 in the region.
About EGFR-Driven NSCLC in China
Lung cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer type and the leading cause of cancer death in China.1 Annually, there are more than 800,000 new cases of lung cancer in China, of which approximately 85 percent are NSCLC.1,6 EGFR mutations are more common in China than in the United States, occurring in 40-50 percent of NSCLC patients.1 Third-generation EGFR-tyrosine kinase inhibitors, including osimertinib, are commonly prescribed in China and have emerged as the standard of care for the first-line setting. However, resistance inevitably emerges, leading to disease progression. There are no approved therapies for patients with disease progression following third-generation EGFR treatment.
About BLU-945 and BLU-701
Derived from Blueprint Medicines’ proprietary research platform, BLU-945 and BLU-701 are investigational next-generation EGFR non-covalent tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Both treatments are specifically designed to provide comprehensive coverage of the most common activating and on-target resistance mutations, spare wild-type EGFR and other kinases to limit off-target toxicities and enable a range of combination strategies, and treat or prevent central nervous system metastases. BLU-945 is currently being evaluated in the Phase 1/2 SYMPHONY trial in patients with previously treated EGFR-driven NSCLC (NCT04862780). In addition, Blueprint Medicines plans to initiate a Phase 1/2 trial of BLU-701 in the fourth quarter of 2021.