On July 3, 2024 Pentixapharm AG, a clinical-stage biotech company discovering and developing novel targeted radiopharmaceuticals against a range of malignancies, reported the execution of an agreement, effective July 1st, to acquire the target discovery business of Berlin-based Glycotope GmbH.

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The deal encompasses a portfolio of preclinical antibodies against multiple oncology targets that can be developed into radiopharmaceuticals. It also includes Glycotope’s laboratories, cell banks, tumor target data base, and the equipment needed to exploit the discovery platform, along with a range of patents, licenses, and other tangible assets. In total, Pentixapharm will be able to add an integrated team of 40 seasoned executives, R&D specialists, and administrators to its staff.

"The acquisition will broaden Pentixapharm’s Intellectual Property portfolio beyond the one built around the CXCR4 receptor. This will immediately double the development pipeline and significantly expand the associated business and clinical development opportunities," explained Hakim Bouterfa, CEO of Pentixapharm AG. "Glycotope’s pipeline comprises several candidates that can be used immediately for proof-of-concept studies as next generation radiopharmaceuticals. We look forward to maximizing the synergy of Pentixapharm’s know-how and Glycotope’s target discovery for the benefit of patients in both diagnostics and therapeutic applications."

"The transaction provides Pentixapharm not just with a chance to build a clinical pipeline beyond the company’s current CXCR4-ligand based programs, but also substantially strengthens its administrative and managerial capacities," noted Andreas Eckert, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of both Pentixapharm and mother company Eckert & Ziegler SE (EZAG). "It adds a critical number of talents to the planned secession of Pentixapharm to Frankfurt Stock Exchange, thereby facilitating a seamless separation from EZAG. The offices and laboratories included in the deal are large enough to allow a consolidation of all Berlin-based activities into one location."

The transaction will also affect the composition of the Pentixapharm Management Board once the company becomes listed on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange. Hakim Bouterfa, current CEO of Pentixapharm, is designated to move to the Company’s Supervisory Board. He will be succeeded by Dirk Pleimes, currently Pentixapharm’s Chief Medical Officer. Patrik Kehler, former Chief Scientific Officer (CSO) of Glycotope, will assume the CSO position at Pentixapharm, while Glycotope’s former CEO, Henner Kollenberg, will take over the responsibility for administrative and business development issues as Chief Business Officer.

Patrik Kehler, newly appointed Chief Scientific Officer of Pentixapharm, explained: "The target discovery unit’s development activities focus on tumor-associated carbohydrate structures, so-called GlycoTargets. Their major advantage is the reduced normal tissue binding compared to conventional antibodies. Based on their superior tumor-specificity, they are suitable for development in an array of different modes of action. In the radiopharmaceuticals field, they have the potential to close the treatment gap that exists for the majority of solid tumors."

(Press release, PentixaPharm, JUL 3, 2024, View Source [SID1234663465])

On July 3, 2024 ImmuneOnco Biopharma reported that Timdarpacept (IMM01) combined with Tislelizumab for refractory cHL Phase III clinical trial successfully completed the first patient enrollment on July 1, 2024 (Press release, ImmuneOnco Biopharma, JUL 3, 2024, View Source [SID1234655701]).

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IMM01 is the first SIRP-α-FC fusion protein to enter the clinical stage in China and is developed to use in combination with other drugs to treat a variety of blood and solid tumors. The results of two Phase II clinical trials of IMM01 were released in oral presentations at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) (Free ASCO Whitepaper) 2024 annual meeting. One is the new updated data of Phase II trial for IMM01 combined with Tislelizumab in cHL patients who have failed prior PD-(L)1 antibody therapy, after 6.87 months of follow-up, ORR reached 66.7%, CR 24.2%, DCR 93.9%, median PFS and median DOR were not reached. In addition, IMM01 combined with Tislelizumab was well tolerated. Another is the phase 2 study of IMM01 combined with azacitidine (AZA) as the first-line treatment in adults with higher risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS). After 12.8 months follow-up, ORR reached 64.7%, including 29.4% CR), 15.7% mCR with hematologic improvement (HI): 5.9% HI and 13.7% mCR alone. 12-month PFS reached 54.4%. The updated data show that MM01 combined with AZA were well tolerated and effective in patients with treatment-naive higher-risk MDS.

Founder and chairman of ImmuneOnco Dr. Tian, Wenzhi said: "We are very pleased to see the completion of the first patient enrollment in our Phase III registration clinical trial of Timdarpacept (IMM01) combined with Tislelizumab for cHL refractory to PD-(L)1 monoclonal antibody. This therapy tries to meet ’unmet clinical need’ since there is very limit treatment options for those young-age onset patients. Timdarpacept activates macrophages to turn "cold tumors" into "hot tumors", and macrophages will present more tumor antigens to T lymphocytes to induce tumor-specific T cell responses, thereby restoring and expanding the sensitivity and therapeutic response to Tislelizumab This is well supported by our clinical data. In contrast, PD-1 antibody combined with another T cell-associated immune checkpoint antibody is difficult to achieve such clinical manifestations. We firmly believe that the development of Timdarpacept in combination with Tislelizumab for refractory cHL will have great market competitiveness. We will quickly advance the phase III registered clinical trial and strive to bring benefits to cHL cancer patients as soon as possible."

Chief Medical Officer/Senior Vice President of ImmuneOnco, Dr. Lu, Qiying, said: "the project of IMM01, the company’s key product, combined with Tislelizumab successfully completed the enrollment of the first patient in phase III clinical trial for the cHL patients refractory to PD1/PD-L1 therapy. this is another important milestone indicating that the clinical development of IMM01 has fully entered the registered clinical trial stage. This is globally first registration of trial large molecule drug against CD47 for cHL. From approval of CDE on May 16 to First Patient in on July 1, our team took one and half month to get the work done , indicating that the team had strong execution ability and worked efficiently. We are confident that we can quickly promote the clinical development of IMM01 products to bring new treatment options for cancer patients to solve the unmet clinical needs."

On July 3, 2024 (the "Effective Date"), Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (the "Company") and Curia Global, Inc., f/k/a Albany Molecular Research, Inc. ("AMRI") and Curia New Mexico, LLC (together with AMRI, "Curia") reported to have entered into a Settlement Agreement and Release ("Settlement Agreement") relating to the settlement of all their claims and counterclaims in Curia Global, Inc. v. Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc., AAA Case No. 01-23-0000-2937, American Arbitration Association (the "AAA Arbitration"), and Curia Global, Inc. v. Eagle Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Index No. 651064/2023, Supreme Court of the State of New York, County of New York (the "NY Court Action") and other claims and disputes relating to these proceedings.

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As previously disclosed, the AAA Arbitration relates to disputes arising from the parties’ Vasopressin Commercial Supply Agreement, dated April 15, 2018 ("Vasopressin CSA"), and the NY Court Action relates to disputes arising from the parties’ PEMFEXY Master Development and Supply Agreement, dated March 26, 2021 (the "PEMFEXY MSA"). The Company and Curia have agreed to a mutual release of all claims arising from or concerning the Vasopressin CSA (other than any future indemnity claims that may be asserted related to defects or product liability), or the allegations, claims or counterclaims in the AAA Arbitration or the NY Court Action, in addition to payment, covenants, representations and other terms, the material terms of which are summarized below. The parties’ releases are subject to the payment of the full settlement amount and the passage of a specified time period thereafter with no Events of Default (as described below). The Settlement Agreement provides that the settlement is not an admission of liability or wrongdoing by either party. The PEMFEXY MSA remains in effect.

Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, the Company agreed to pay Curia $26.5 million in accordance with the following payment schedule: $10.0 million within one business day of the Effective Date (paid on July 5, 2024); $10.0 million on or before February 17, 2025; and $6.5 million on or before July 7, 2025. In addition, Curia has filed a Stipulation of Discontinuance with Prejudice in the NY Court Action pursuant to the Settlement Agreement and the parties have agreed to take all other necessary steps to cause the prompt dismissal with prejudice of all claims in the NY Court Action, including the withdrawal of the appeal in the NY Court Action.The parties have jointly submitted a request to the arbitrators in the AAA Arbitration to issue a final award on consent recording the settlement.

Pursuant to the Settlement Agreement, an Event of Default occurs upon a failure by the Company to pay when due any of the settlement payments described above, and specified bankruptcy and insolvency events with respect to the Company.

The foregoing description of the material terms of the Settlement Agreement does not purport to be complete and is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Settlement Agreement, which the Company intends to file with the Securities and Exchange Commission as an exhibit to the Company’s Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023.

On July 3, 2024 Delta-fly pharma reported the enrollment of patients in the Phase III clinical trial of DFP-14323 in combination with Afatinib (20 mg/day) versus Afatinib (40 mg/day) alone in stage III/IV non-small cell lung cancer patients with uncommon EGFR mutation positive that was approved by the Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) in Feb. 2024, has started as of today in Japan (Press release, Delta-Fly Pharma, JUL 3, 2024, View Source [SID1234644673]).

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This Phase III clinical trial will be conducted at 30 sites with NSCLC experts in Japan and the superiority of the add-on effect of DFP-14323 on progression-free survival (PFS) as primary endpoint will be confirmed.

As DFP-14323 selectively binds to the aminopeptidase N, which is widely expressed on various cells, as lung cancer and inflammatory cells, it is expected to be effective in the treatment of patients with refractory cancer and when the superiority of the add-on effect can be confirmed in this study, it is expected to provide a novel cancer immunotherapy that is independent of EGFR mutation types, uncommon or common mutation.

We will accelerate the progress of the trial by expanding this Phase III clinical trial outside of Japan to Asian countries with large numbers of EGFR mutation-positive non-small cell lung cancer patients, and at the same time, we will promote out-licensing activities to Asian pharmaceutical companies.

Please find out the innovation for the miserable cancer patients by Delta-Fly Pharma Inc. (TOKYO: 4598) and contact with us.

On July 3, 2024 Ascentage Pharma (6855.HK), a global biopharmaceutical company engaged in discovering, developing and commercializing both first-in-class and best-in-class therapies for hematological malignancies, reported that on July 2, 2024, in relation to the Exclusive Option Agreement with Takeda for the third-generation BCR-ABL inhibitor olverembatinib (HQP1351), Ascentage Pharma has received the US$100 million option payment called for by the Exclusive Option Agreement (Press release, Ascentage Pharma, JUL 3, 2024, View Source [SID1234644672]).

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On June 14, 2024, Ascentage Pharma and Takeda entered into an Exclusive Option Agreement that granted Takeda an exclusive option to enter into an exclusive license agreement for olverembatinib. The Exclusive Option Agreement calls for Ascentage Pharma to receive an option payment of US$100 million and provides for Ascentage Pharma to be eligible for an option exercise fee and additional potential milestone payments of up to approximately US$1.2 billion and double-digit royalties on annual sales.