On September 29, 2021 Sprint Bioscience reported The preclinical development experts at started the second half of the year by signing the company’s largest licensing agreement to date in a deal concerning drug candidate Vps34 (Press release, Sprint Bioscience, SEP 29, 2021, View Source [SID1234590545]). The company is now initiating marketing for the next project in line. BioStock spoke to the company’s Chief Scientific Officer, Martin Andersson, to find out more about the project.

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Huddinge-based research company Sprint Bioscience focuses on the development of preclinical drug projects in cancer treatment in particular. Where many other drug developers have a strategy to reach licensing agreements with a larger partner during the clinical development phase, Sprint Bioscience’s strategy is to secure licensing agreements in their projects much earlier than that.

So far, the company has secured three out-licensing deals that have a total potential value of approximately 747 million USD, plus royalties. On Monday, the company announced that it is initiating marketing of the next project in its development portfolio: the cancer drug program DISA.

Facilitating the identification of cancer cells
DISA targets the protein TREX1, which breaks down DNA fragments that have wrongly ended up outside the nucleus of a cell. This happens more often in cancer cells than in ordinary cells. These DNA fragments can activate the immune system, which the cancer cells want to avoid and therefore it removes them as quickly as possible. The purpose of the DISA program is to inhibit the TREX1 protein to make it easier for the immune system to locate cancer cells and start fighting them.

Previous studies have shown that there is a clear link between elevated levels of TREX1 and poorer survival in patients suffering from, among others, breast, ovarian and pancreatic cancer.

Marketing during BioEurope
These are cancer types that attract great interest from the major pharmaceutical companies, and the plan is to begin marketing procedures as well as talks with potential partners regarding DISA in connection with the BioEurope conference held at the end of October. BioStock contacted Martin Andersson, Chief Scientific Officer at Sprint Bioscience, to find out more about the project.

Using the immune system to treat cancer is a very hot area in cancer research. How do you view the possibilities of the DISA project to secure a position in the emerging treatment landscape?

– It is increasingly clear that different tumour forms use different mechanisms to evade an attack by the immune system. A large number of drugs will be needed to address these mechanisms and the DISA project will be a piece of the puzzle that could become an important component of future therapies.

Martin Andersson, Chief Scientific OfficerSprint Bioscience
Martin Andersson, CSO Sprint BioScience
What distinguishes DISA from other projects aimed at facilitating the identification of cancer cells?

– The DISA project differs in that there are no drugs today that block the activity of the TREX1 protein or other related proteins. This means that we expect to be able to treat other cancers where the TREX1 protein is the driving force in the ability of cancer cells to evade the immune system. In addition, the majority of other drug candidates within immuno-oncology are biological drugs that must be given as an injection. The goal of the DISA program is to develop a drug that can be taken as a tablet, which will facilitate things significantly.

The plan is to initiate discussions with potential partners at BioEurope in October. How do you perceive the general interest in partnering discussions right now?

– We are seeing increasing interest from potential partners in general. An increasing proportion of their future product portfolios are estimated to come from programs that have been inlicensed. Then, of course, we become an increasingly interesting partner as we license out more projects. It shows that we are a player to be reckoned with and that the programs we develop can pass external reviews, which validates the quality of our programs and us as a good partner in licensing deals.

The content of BioStock’s news and analyses is independent but the work of BioStock is to a certain degree financed by life science companies. The above article concerns a company from which BioStock has received financing.

On September 29, 2021 BeBetter Medicine reported that according to the CDE website, Bebetter Med’ HDAC/PI3K dual-target inhibitor BEBT-908 is proposed for inclusion in the breakthrough therapy list for the third-line treatment of relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (r/r DLBCL) (Press release, BeBetter Medicine Technology, SEP 29, 2021, View Source [SID1234633497]).

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BEBT-908 is Bebetter Med’s first HDAC/PI3K dual target inhibitor proposed for inclusion in the breakthrough therapy list Panacro, entrusted by Bebetter Med, has engaged in CRO services such as medical R&D strategy development, medical monitoring, data management and statistical analysis since September 25, 201

The technical team of Panacro responded quickly and solve the problems encountered in the clinical trials in a professional and efficient manner. In the NDA of breakthrough therapy, the medical division, data division and statistical division worked together to achieve a good presentation of the Phase IIa statistical analysis report and clinical study report in a short period of time, which was highly recognized by the sponsor and CDE.

"Currently, five clinical studies have been initiated with BEBT-908, among which, Phase II clinical studies targeting a variety of hematologic tumors such as follicular lymphoma, chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma, Walden’s macroglobulinemia, marginal zone lymphoma, and peripheral T-cell lymphoma have been initiated, and solid tumor indications are also under clinical exploration, and Panacro is honored to participate,"said Du Xiaojian, Chief Medical Officer of Panacro.

In the future, Panacro, by leveraging its professional technical ability and quality service, will make persistent efforts to promote local innovative drugs to benefit the majority of patients as soon as possible!"

On September 29, 2021 ChromaDex Corp. (NASDAQ: CDXC) reported a partnership with Sinopharm Xingsha Pharmaceuticals (Xiamen) Co., Ltd. ("Sinopharm Xingsha") to conduct cross-border sales of Tru Niagen in mainland China (Press release, ChromaDex, SEP 29, 2021, View Source [SID1234590456]). Sinopharm Xingsha is a subsidiary of Sinopharm Group, with businesses including pharmaceutical manufacturing, marketing and distribution of drugs, and food supplements and healthcare products. It is the main platform of Sinopharm Group for food supplements and healthcare products. Sinopharm Group is a large healthcare group directly under the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC) of the State Council, with a full value chain in the industry covering R&D, manufacturing, logistics and distribution, retail chains, healthcare, engineering services, exhibitions and conferences, international business and financial services. Sinopharm Xingsha and ChromaDex will also collaborate to secure Health Food Registration in China.

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Tru Niagen is one of America’s top-selling brands for boosting NAD+ levels and healthy aging. The percentage of people in China over the age of 50 reached 32.8% in 2020 and is expected to reach 45.2% by 2040, according to United Nations Department of Economic & Social Affairs data. The 2020 Chinese Census and National Bureau of Statistics of China estimate that more than 260 million people in China are over the age of 60.

"We are honored and proud to be working with Sinopharm Xingsha and believe this partnership positions ChromaDex as an important player in addressing age-related health issues for the people of China," said ChromaDex CEO Rob Fried.

Tru Niagen is currently available for sale to Chinese consumers on several cross-border marketplaces including T-mall, JD, WeChat, and Kaola. It is also available in over 200 Watsons stores in Hong Kong and Macau.

Tru Niagen is the flagship consumer brand featuring Niagen (patented nicotinamide riboside or NR). Niagen is the world’s most efficient NAD+ precursor on the market, particularly over NMN (nicotinamide mononucleotide). Supplementation with Niagen is backed by 13 published and peer-reviewed clinical trials. Niagen has achieved regulatory acceptance by the world’s four leading regulatory bodies: the U.S. FDA, Health Canada, the European Commission, and the Therapeutic Goods Administration (TGA) of Australia.

On September 29, 2021 Avacta Group plc (AIM: AVCT), a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company developing innovative cancer therapies and powerful diagnostics based on its proprietary Affimer and pre|CISION platforms, reported that a pre-clinical development milestone has been achieved in the multi-target therapeutics development partnership with LG Chem Life Sciences ("LG Chem"), the life sciences division of the South Korean LG Group, triggering an undisclosed milestone payment (Press release, Avacta, SEP 29, 2021, View Source [SID1234590477]).

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Avacta and LG Chem have a multi-target therapeutics development agreement to develop Affimer therapeutics in several disease areas. As part of the agreement, LG Chem has the exclusive rights to develop and commercialise, on a world-wide basis, Avacta’s Affimer PD-L1 inhibitor with Affimer XT serum half-life extension.

LG Chem has successfully completed certain pre-clinical in-vivo models in the PD-L1/XT programme leading to the selection of a pre-clinical candidate for further development towards the clinic and triggering an undisclosed milestone payment.

The partnership also provides LG Chem with rights to develop and commercialise other Affimer and non-Affimer biotherapeutics combined with Affimer XT half-life extension for a range of indications and Avacta could earn up to $55m in milestone payments for each of these new products. In addition, under the agreement Avacta will earn royalties on all future Affimer XT product sales by LG Chem.

Dr. Alastair Smith, Chief Executive of Avacta Group, commented: "I am delighted with the progress in our important strategic partnership with LG Chem. LG Chem is a world-class drug development partner with excellent biologics manufacturing and clinical development capabilities and a pioneering vision to develop innovative drugs.

"I am particularly pleased that we have achieved this significant milestone with a novel Affimer bispecific product, which highlights the tremendous promise of the Affimer platform."

About Affimer XT

Affimer XT is a system for extending the time a drug spends in the circulation ("serum half-life extension"). Affimer XT comprises an Affimer that binds to a large blood protein called Serum Albumin that is too large to be cleared rapidly from the circulation. Half-life extension can be achieved by linking Affimer XT to a small drug such as an Affimer PD-L1 inhibitor to make a bispecific drug molecule. A small drug that might otherwise be cleared through the kidneys in a matter of hours, will remain in the circulation for many days if attached to Serum Albumin via Affimer XT. A long serum half-life increases the exposure of a tumour to the drug and potentially therefore improves the therapeutic effect.

On September 29, 2021 HUTCHMED (China) Limited ("HUTCHMED") (Nasdaq/AIM: HCM; HKEX:13) reported that, further to its announcement in March 2021 and following receipt of regulatory approval, it has completed the sale of its entire indirect interest in Hutchison Whampoa Guangzhou Baiyunshan Chinese Medicine Company Limited ("HBYS"), a non-core and non-consolidated over-the-counter ("OTC") drug joint venture business, to GL Mountrose Investment Two Limited, a company controlled and managed by GL Capital Group ("GL Capital") (Press release, Hutchison China MediTech, SEP 29, 2021, View Source [SID1234590546]).

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The aggregate amount which will be received by HUTCHMED is approximately US$169 million in cash, representing about 22 times HBYS’ adjusted net profit attributable to HUTCHMED equity holders of US$7.7 million in 20201. Of the proceeds, approximately US$127 million related to its shareholding in HBYS has been received. The balance of approximately US$42 million is related to expected upcoming distributions of declared dividends related to previously announced land compensation and prior year undistributed profits.

The transaction will allow HUTCHMED to focus the organization and resources on its primary aim of accelerating investment in the Oncology/Immunology assets in China and beyond.