On January 10, 2022 BioAtla, Inc. (Nasdaq: BCAB), a global clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on the development of Conditionally Active Biologic (CAB) antibody therapeutics, reported that it has entered into a clinical collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb (NYSE: BMY) to investigate BioAtla’s two lead CAB-ADC candidates, BA3011 and BA3021, in combination with Bristol Myers Squibb’s anti-PD-1 therapy Opdivo (nivolumab) (Press release, BioAtla, JAN 10, 2022, View Source [SID1234598547]).

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Under the terms of the agreement, BioAtla and Bristol Myers Squibb will collaborate on clinical trials of separate combination therapies using two of BioAtla’s Conditionally Active Biologic Antibody Drug Conjugates, BA3011 and BA3021, each in combination with Opdvio. BioAtla will serve as the study sponsor and will be responsible for costs associated with the trial execution. Bristol Myers Squibb will provide Opdivo clinical drug supply for the study.

BA3011 (CAB-AXL-ADC) and BA3021 (CAB-ROR2-ADC) are CAB antibody drug conjugates that target receptor tyrosine kinase AXL and ROR2, respectively. AXL and ROR2 are important targets as they are expressed in many solid tumors with higher frequency of expression observed in tumors previously treated with anti-PD-1 therapy. This, coupled with the therapeutic index advantages provided by BioAtla’s proprietary CAB technology, lends strong rationale for investigating BA3011 and BA3021 in combination with Opdivo.

"BioAtla is very pleased to enter into this collaboration with Bristol Myers Squibb. Identification of optimal combination regimens holds significant promise for cancer patients, and we look forward to expanding investigation of our CAB-ADCs in combination with Opdivo," stated Jay M. Short, Ph.D., Chairman, Chief Executive Officer and co-founder of BioAtla, Inc.

"This collaboration supports our strategy to aggressively drive development of therapeutics in areas of high unmet medical need and underscores the potential broad applicability of our CABADCs to provide benefit to many patients across a wide range of tumor types," added Scott Smith, President of BioAtla.

Opdivo is a trademark of Bristol-Myers Squibb Company.

About Mecbotamab Vedotin (BA3011)
BA3011, CAB-AXL-ADC, is a CAB antibody drug conjugate targeting the receptor tyrosine kinase AXL that is overexpressed across multiple different solid tumors. We are developing BA3011 as a potential therapeutic for multiple solid tumor types, including soft tissue and bone sarcoma, nonsmall cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and ovarian cancer, with other potential indications in the future. We are enrolling a potentially registration-enabling Phase 2 clinical trial (NCT03425279) of BA3011 given as monotherapy or in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor in soft tissue and primary bone sarcoma patients 12 years and older that are high AXL tumor membrane expressors (AXL high). We also are conducting a Phase 2 study (NCT04681131) in AXL high NSCLC patients who have previously progressed on PD-1/L1, EGFR, or ALK inhibitor therapy. In addition, a multicenter investigator-initiated Phase 2 clinical trial of BA3011 in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer has been initiated in Canada and in the US (NCT04918186).

About Ozuriftamab Vedotin (BA3021)
BA3021, CAB-ROR2-ADC, is a conditionally and reversibly active antibody drug conjugate directed against ROR2, a receptor tyrosine kinase that is overexpressed across many different solid tumors including lung, head and neck, melanoma, and breast. We are developing BA3021 as a potential therapeutic for multiple solid tumor types, including NSCLC, melanoma, squamous cell cancer of the head and neck (SCCHN) and ovarian cancer. We are enrolling a Phase 2 trial (NCT03504488) of BA3021 monotherapy or in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor in patients with ROR2 high melanoma who have previously progressed on PD-1/L1 inhibitor and patients with ROR2 high NSCLC who have previously progressed on PD-1/L1, EGFR or ALK inhibitor therapy. A Phase 2 study in patients with ROR2 high SCCHN will be initiated in early 2022. In addition, a multi-center investigator-initiated Phase 2 clinical trial of BA3021 in combination with a PD-1 inhibitor in patients with platinum-resistant ovarian cancer has been initiated in Canada and in the US (NCT04918186).