On October 21, 2021 Mablink Bioscience S.A.S. a biotechnology company developing a pipeline of ADC based on its proprietary PSARlink drug-linker technology and Emergence Therapeutics AG, a European biopharmaceutical company developing novel antibody drug conjugate (ADC) immuno-therapeutics to treat cancers with high unmet needs reported that they entered into a Licensing Agreement (Press release, Mablink Bioscience, OCT 21, 2021, View Source [SID1234591752]). Under the terms of the agreement, Emergence Therapeutics will use a PSARlink drug-linker developed by Mablink to develop an ADC targeting Nectin-4, a protein overexpressed in several severe cancers.
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Jack Elands, CEO of Emergence Therapeutics said: "Mablink Bioscience’s technology, PSARlink, which is based on a hydrophilic linker using a polysarcosine arm, enabled us to design a Nectin-4 ADC loaded with the cytotoxic agent of our choice, whilst retaining the antibody’s pharmacological properties. This technology has the potential to widen the therapeutic index of an ADC and to make our Nectin-4 ADC a best-in-class. The preclinical data we obtained so far are very encouraging in this regard." Jean-Guillaume Lafay, CEO of Mablink Bioscience added: "We have developed a unique technology that we believe solves the core issue that impaired so many ADC developments. Grafting cytotoxic molecules to an Antibody usually creates a rather hydrophobic ADC, which is correlated with poor pharmacological properties (low drug-exposure and general toxicity issues). While Mablink Bioscience develops its own drug candidates targeting several difficult-to-treat cancers, we are delighted to be joined by Emergence Therapeutics in our effort to develop the 3rd generation of ADCs and to bring new, more efficient, therapeutic options to cancer patients."
Pursuant to the agreement, Mablink Bioscience is entitled to receive milestone and royalty payments, based on the development of the Nectin-4 ADC.
About PSARlink
PSARlink drug-linkers are a chemical physical link that can be placed between an antibody and a chosen cytotoxic molecule to be delivered into tumor cells. PSARlink’s unique structure "masks" the cytotoxic molecules, especially hydrophobic compounds, and provides a "stealthy" property to such antibody drug conjugates, enabling them to stay longer in the body, giving them more time to destroy tumor cells. At the same time, making ADC stealth avoids most of the damage typically caused by such molecules to healthy cells: PSARlink-based ADC are better tolerated. These improvements translate into a 10-fold increase of the therapeutic index observed in animal models, a potentially game changing factor for future clinical success.