The drug, RG7813, delivers a cytokine (engineered IL2) to a specific part of the carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) protein which is exposed only on the surface of cancer cells, resulting in a narrowly-targeted treatment (Press release Cancer Research UK, MAR 27, 2014, View Source [SID:1234500343]).
Cancer Research Technology, the commercial arm of Cancer Research UK, licensed the monoclonal antibody called PR1A3 to Roche. PR1A3 was discovered in Sir Walter Bodmer’s laboratory when he was director of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund. Roche has subsequently engineered the antibody and incorporated it into its proprietary immunocytokine drug platform to generate the final drug candidate. Clinical trials have then been initiated.
It is in a Phase I study for the treatment of solid tumors (Filing Annual 2013, Hoffmann-La Roche, JAN 30, 2014, View Source [SID:1234500028]). Design: Single and multiple dose escalation study with extension cohorts. Primary endpoint: Safety, PK, PD. Number of patients: 110.
It was previously licensed to Antisoma; however, this agreement was terminated (Company prospectus, Antisoma, DEC 1998; Direct communication, CRT, MAY 2008).