On April 18, 2022 Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (hereafter referred to as "Biocytogen") reported a collaboration agreement with CtM Biotech (Shanghai) Co., Ltd (hereafter referred to as "CtM Bio") to jointly develop innovative antibody drugs against intracellular tumor-associated antigens (Press release, Biocytogen, APR 18, 2022, View Source [SID1234612417]). Under this agreement, Biocytogen will be responsible for screening fully human antibodies against specific targets by leveraging the company’s proprietary TCR-mimic antibody development platform. CtM Bio will use their proprietary T cell engager platform to co-develop T cell engagers targeting intracellular tumor-associated antigens.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Biocytogen’s TCR-mimic antibody development platform, which utilizes a strain of fully human RenMabTM mice expressing a human leukocyte antigen (HLA) gene, is designed to facilitate the discovery of antibodies against intracellular tumor-associated antigens. CtM Bio has extensive experience in the discovery of innovative drug candidates for the treatment of life-threatening diseases. The company has developed a proprietary T cell engager platform with differentiated properties which is expected to turn "cold tumors" into "hot tumors", possibly overcoming the current limitation of immunotherapy.

Under this collaboration, Biocytogen and CtM Bio will jointly promote the development of novel antibody drugs that could significantly expand the potential of immunotherapy, ultimately helping to improve the lives of patients suffering from cancer and other debilitating diseases.

About the TCR-Mimic Platform
Biocytogen’s T Cell Receptor (TCR)-Mimic platform utilizes HLA-expressing fully human antibody mice (HLA/RenMabTM mice) to generate antibodies to intracellular tumor-associated antigens when immunized with MHC-antigen-peptide complexes. Subsequently, Biocytogen’s high-throughput antibody screening platform aims to swiftly identify TCR-mimic antibodies with higher specificity and affinity than endogenous TCRs derived from patients. Currently, antibody hits for multiple intracellular targets are undergoing in vitro and in vivo characterization. Fully human antibody sequences obtained from the TCR-mimic platform can empower the development of T cell engagers, bispecific/multispecific antibodies, and CAR-T therapies.

On April 18, 2022 Bridge Biotherapeutics (KQ288330), a South Korean clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing novel drugs for fibrosis, inflammation, and cancer, reported that the company has signed an exclusive in-license agreement with Shaperon, a South Korean clinical-stage biotech company, for its GPCR19 (G protein-coupled receptor 19) agonist, coded "BBT-209", in order to develop a novel therapy for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) (Press release, Bridge Biotherapeutics, APR 18, 2022, View Source [SID1234612416]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Shaperon, the originator, has identified that BBT-209, a first-in-class GPCR19 agonist, controls GPCR19-P2X7 expressions and downregulates component proteins of NLRP3 so that inflammation signaling networks can be significantly suppressed by the compound’s mode of action.

Through IPF animal models, Bridge Biotherapeutics has confirmed that the drug candidate shows treatment efficacy through its robust anti-inflammatory activities. The company will utilize this data when developing monotherapy and/or combination therapy strategies.

By entering into the license agreement, Bridge will make an upfront payment of approximately USD 1.63 million (KRW 2 billion). The potential deal value equates to approximately USD 24.4 million (KRW 30 billion) including upfront, milestone, and royalty payments.

"We are highly excited to in-license BBT-209, which is known to be the first-in-class GPCR19 agonist for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis," said James Lee, CEO of Bridge Biotherapeutics. "By jointly working with Shaperon, our development team will make the best effort to ensure the rapid advancement for our novel drug candidate, along with the other pipeline assets under the company’s IPF franchise," James added.

"We hope that BBT-209 will become a breakthrough therapy for patients with IPF, who are currently lacking treatment options" and "We will accelerate the development of innovative treatments, to help improve the quality of life for patients suffering from rare diseases, such as IPF, through our partnership with Bridge Biotherapeutics, which has a proven track record in both global drug development and business development," said Seung-Yong Seong, M.D., Ph.D., and Myung-Sea Lee M.D., M.B.A., co-CEOs of Shaperon.

Bridge Biotherapeutics reinforces its strategic focus on disease areas with significant unmet medical needs and lacks novel approved therapies, including cancers and various fibrotic diseases. Relating to idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, the company has been accelerating the development of BBT-877 (an autotaxin inhibitor), BBT-301 (an ion channel modulator), and BBT-209 (a GPCR19 agonist).

On April 18, 2022 Brand Institute reported its successful partnership with Amneal Pharmaceuticals in developing the brand name ALYMSYS, under which the biosimilar approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on April 13, 2022 will be marketed (Press release, Amneal Pharmaceuticals, APR 18, 2022, View Source [SID1234612415]). This biosimilar represents the third bevacizumab approved in the U.S.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

ALYMSYS was developed by mAbxience, a global biotech company with over a decade of experience in the development, manufacture, and commercialization of biopharmaceuticals. Bevacizumab-maly is a vascular endothelial growth factor inhibitor used in oncology.

"The entire Brand Institute and Drug Safety Institute Team congratulates Amneal Pharmaceuticals and mAbxience on the FDA approval of ALYMSYS," said Brand Institute’s Chairman and C.E.O., James L. Dettore.

On April 18, 2022 Seneca Therapeutics, Inc. (STI), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development of novel immunotherapies for difficult to treat solid cancers will be presenting on Wednesday, April 20 at 12:10pm at the World Vaccine Congress in Washington, DC (Press release, Seneca Therapeutics, APR 18, 2022, View Source [SID1234612414]). Seneca Therapeutics’ Senior Immunology Consultant, Michael Lacy, PhD will present a summary of prior research and three clinical trials done utilizing Seneca Valley Virus (SVV-001) delivered intravenously as a monotherapy. These clinical trials demonstrated profound tumor selectivity and safety. Dr. Lacy will also discuss Seneca’s upcoming Phase I/II clinical trial in both Neuroendocrine tumor and carcinoma patients. This trial combines intratumoral administration of SVV-001 with anti-PD1 and anti-CTLA4 checkpoint inhibitors. Finally, data will also be presented demonstrating the utility of SVV to express therapeutic transgenes (armed derivatives) and/or cancer antigens.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

On April Cyteir Therapeutics, Inc. ("Cyteir") (Nasdaq: CYT), a company focused on the discovery and development of next-generation synthetically lethal therapies for cancer, reported that will host a virtual R&D Day on April 26, 2022 starting at 8:30 a.m. ET (Press release, Cyteir Therapeutics, APR 18, 2022, View Source [SID1234612413]). Cyteir’s management will discuss the research done to identify the molecular target of CYT-0851 and review the ongoing clinical plan.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The live audio webcast can be accessed via the Investor Relations section of the Company’s website at www.cyteir.com. The archived webcast will remain available for replay on Cyteir’s website for 30 days.