On January 4, 2024 Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc (Nasdaq: ADAP), a leader in cell therapy to treat cancer, reported the Company’s plans for its emerging sarcoma franchise including projections for peak US sales of up to $400 million (Press release, Adaptimmune, JAN 4, 2024, View Source [SID1234638960]).

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The Company will present plans for the franchise at the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference on January 11th from 8:15 to 8:55 a.m. PST at the Westin, San Francisco. The presentation will be webcast and a replay will be available at the same link.

Adrian Rawcliffe, Adaptimmune’s Chief Executive Officer: "2024 is the year Adaptimmune transforms into a commercial cell therapy company with the anticipated approval and launch of afami-cel, the first asset in our sarcoma franchise. By 2026, we plan to have two marketed cell therapies for sarcoma. These therapies will redefine the treatment paradigm for people with sarcoma and are projected to deliver US peak sales of up to $400m. Our sarcoma franchise has tremendous upside with potential for expansion and is only the beginning of our solid tumor cell therapy aspirations."

On January 4, 2024 Evotec SE (Frankfurt Stock Exchange: EVT, MDAX/TecDAX, ISIN: DE0005664809; NASDAQ: EVO) and Owkin, a French-American techbio company reported an A.I.-powered integrated multi-target collaboration in oncology, immunology and inflammation ("I&I") (Press release, Evotec, JAN 4, 2024, View Source [SID1234638959]).

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The collaboration brings together highly complementary platforms and expertise to accurately select targets, discover and develop new therapeutics. Harmonising Owkin’s cutting-edge target discovery engine with Evotec’s end-to-end shared R&D platforms and disease biology expertise will accelerate Owkin’s novel programmes from the discovery phase to the clinic.

Owkin will identify indication-relevant targets and subgroups using A.I. applied to multimodal patient data. Evotec will leverage its shared R&D platform to accelerate and de-risk the validation of targets, identification of drug candidates and successful completion of pre-clinical development activities up to IND. An Owkin-Evotec joint Research Strategy Team formed of highly experienced drug hunters will drive the collaboration, designing fully tailored strategic programme plans from target selection to IND and ensuring delivery of the programmes. The partnership also enables Owkin to maximise capital efficiency while reducing risk. Evotec will receive R&D funding from Owkin and is eligible to earn performance milestone payments and royalties on product sales.

Dr Matthias Evers, Chief Business Officer of Evotec, commented: "Owkin and Evotec both feel there is something special brewing by convergence between A.I. and science in drug innovation – hence, we are thrilled to strike this partnership towards accelerating therapeutics in therapeutic areas of highest unmet needs – patients need us, together."

Dr Thomas Clozel, Co-founder and CEO of Owkin, remarked: "The combination of in silico hypothesis generation through A.I. and experimental lab validation is the core of our pipeline strategy. Evotec’s broad capabilities in drug discovery, which range all the way from target validation through to IND-enabling studies, coupled with their understanding of artificial intelligence and its implementation in their workflows make them an ideal partner for us."

On January 3, 2024 Ampersand Biomedicines, a multi-product platform company developing smarter medicines that act specifically at the site of disease and nowhere else, reported the acquisition of AbCheck s.r.o., a technology company with a suite of antibody discovery technologies for challenging targets and a wholly-owned subsidiary of Affimed GmbH (Press release, Ampersand Biomedicines, JAN 3, 2024, View Source [SID1234653906]). The addition of AbCheck’s broad discovery platform and deep expertise in antibody generation and optimization will enable cost-effective and strategic acceleration of Ampersand’s Address, Navigate, Determine (AND) Platform.

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We’ve made significant advances building our AND Platform, which combines powerful computational tools, robust screening approaches integrated with sophisticated protein engineering, and pharmacological evaluation capabilities to develop therapies that work precisely where needed and nowhere else," said Jason Gardner, D. Phil., CEO of Ampersand Biomedicines and Flagship Pioneering CEO-Partner. "This acquisition will boost the AND Platform and enhance Ampersand’s ability to generate multiple AND-Body Therapeutics in parallel. I look forward to seamlessly integrating AbCheck’s broad antibody discovery capabilities and experienced team as one organization and together building a pipeline of drug candidates that have efficacy, safety, and tolerability for Ampersand and in partnership with companies in the Flagship ecosystem."

AbCheck is a cutting-edge antibody discovery company with a platform of technologies that have successfully delivered against many targets. Over the last 15 years, AbCheck has validated its platform through more than 45 partnerships with biopharma companies and produced multiple clinical candidates. Through the acquisition, AbCheck will become a wholly-owned and independent unit of Ampersand.

"We’re proud of having built one of the leading antibody discovery and optimization platforms, with a highly successful track record," commented Volker Lang, Ph.D., Managing Director of AbCheck. "We’re thrilled to join Ampersand and further our potential to discover and optimize novel antibodies against challenging disease targets through AND-body medicines."

On January 3, 2024 Pacylex Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage oncology innovator, reported that it is closing out a pivotal year with a string of accomplishments that validate its first-in-class oral cancer therapy, zelenirstat (Press release, Pacylex Pharmaceuticals, JAN 3, 2024, View Source [SID1234645055]). This momentum positions Pacylex perfectly for a Series B funding round or strategic partnership to fuel the next stage of its exciting journey.

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Zelenirstat shines in Phase 1, exceeding expectations:

No Dose Limiting Toxicities (DLTs) up to the target drug exposure. In an all-comer Phase 1 study in refractory/relapsed lymphoma and solid tumor patients, there were no zelenirstat DLTs at doses ranging from 20 mg – to 210 mg.
Evidence of Efficacy. Even in heavily pre-treated patients with resistant cancers like ovarian, colorectal, bile duct, lung, and appendiceal, zelenirstat at the highest dose significantly improved both progression-free and overall survival.
Clinical Advancements. Phase 2a is underway in B-cell NHL (non-Hodgkin lymphoma) at the 210 mg dose. Similar studies are planned for solid tumors and acute myeloid leukemia, further amplifying the potential of zelenirstat across multiple cancer indications.
Beyond Phase 1: Additional achievements solidify zelenirstat’s potential:

Orphan Drug and Fast Track designations for AML. Regulatory recognition validates zelenirstat’s promise in this challenging cancer.
Potent Radiosensitization in Brain Cancer. zelenirstat outperformed standard-of-care treatments in preclinical models, opening doors for combination therapies.
Capital Efficiency and De-risking: Pacylex has progressed to Phase 2 on less than $20 million, demonstrating an ability to deliver results with lean operations.
Investing in the future of cancer treatment:

With zelenirstat demonstrating safety and efficacy in patients who have failed all available therapeutic options, Pacylex presents a compelling investment opportunity. We offer:

A first-in-class therapy with ibrutinib-like potential: zelenirstat targets a novel pathway, potentially surpassing existing treatments in efficacy and tolerability.
Multiple expansion avenues: Solid tumors, AML, and autoimmune disorders represent future growth opportunities.
Experienced and dedicated team: Our team of scientific and commercial leaders possesses a proven track record of success.
Join us in shaping the future of cancer care:

Pacylex is actively seeking Series B funding and strategic partnerships to fuel the next chapter of zelenirstat’s development. We invite investors to connect with us at Biotech Showcase during JPM Week to learn more about this groundbreaking therapy and participate in a truly disruptive force in the oncology landscape.

Meet us through the BIO Partnering. View Source

Meet us through the BTS Partnering. https://informaconnect.com/biotech-showcase/partnering/

Schedule a casual coffee or reception meeting! [email protected]

On January 3, 2024 Erasca, Inc., a clinical-stage precision oncology company singularly focused on discovering, developing, and commercializing therapies for patients with RAS/MAPK pathway-driven cancers, reported its participation in the 42nd annual J.P. Morgan Healthcare Conference being held at the Westin St. Francis Hotel in San Francisco, California. Jonathan E. Lim, M.D., chairman, CEO, and co-founder, will present an overview of the company on Tuesday, January 9, 2024 at 9:00 am Pacific Time in Elizabethan Room D. Dr. Lim and David M. Chacko, M.D., chief financial officer and chief business officer, will also participate in one-on-one investor meetings (Press release, Erasca, JAN 3, 2024, View Source [SID1234639349]).

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A live audio webcast of the event will be available online at Erasca.com/events. An archived replay of the event will be available for 30 days following the webcast at Erasca.com/events.