On July 16, 2021 Aluda Pharmaceuticals, a private company, reported the publication of an article in a peer reviewed journal describing a novel mechanism of Exosome Release Inhibition (ExoRI) for the treatment of a broad range of cancers (Press release, Aluda Pharmaceuticals, JUL 16, 2021, View Source [SID1234584913]). Over the past decade, tumor exosomes have been studied extensively in academia for their roles carrying signals that make tumors invasive, create a tumor microenvironment (TME) that enables evasion from immune detection, and promote metastases . Tumor cells upregulate their release of exosomes to promote these roles throughout all stages of cancer, across many types of cancers, transporting multiple pro-cancer signals, many of which are existing drug targets. Inhibition represents a way to block many signals at once, even as they change over time. Research has shown that PD-L/PD-L1, the important immune checkpoint targets, avoid detection by their transport in exosomes, so exosome inhibitors may also address the large rate of non-response for that class of agents.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

Aluda’s paper, entitled A Small Vimentin-Binding Molecule Blocks Cancer Exosome Release and Reduces Cancer Cell Mobility, appears in the journal Frontiers in Pharmacology, and describes the exosome release inhibition action of ALD-R491 through multiple in vitro models. Further in studies with ALD-R491 show exosome-driven tissue changes consistent with diminished signaling and a lowered TME.

The essential role of vimentin in enabling exosome movement was discovered by Aluda.

Aluda CEO Dr. Ruihuan Chen said, "These results show exosome inhibition can block the messages sent by tumors to drive metastases, reduce the TME, and increase systemic dysregulation. It enables tumors to be detected and attacked by native immunity, and is a non-cytotoxic mechanism that is oral so we expect exosome release inhibition (ExoRI) will be an effective, safe, and patient-friendly anti-cancer therapy with new and significant benefits to patients, and complementarity to existing drugs."

About ALD-R491

ALD-R491 is an intracellular protein that forms dynamic and flexible filaments which play an essential role in disease to mobilize, become invasive, and activate process, including the release of tumor exosomes. Many different types of diseases, from autoimmune and fibrosis to cancer, rely on vimentin filaments for these steps. ALD-R491 binds to a specific domain on vimentin, changing its physical properties and interrupting its role in disease. As a first-in-class "vimentin binder", ALD-R491 showed wide efficacy against disease. ALD-R491 has completed all IND filing requirements including complete two-species GLP tox.

On July 16, 2021 Grit Biotechnology, a two-year-old Shanghai cell therapy company, reported that it closed a Series A+ round to develop its Tumor Infiltrating Lymphocytes (TIL) therapies (Press release, Grit Bio, JUL 16, 2021, View Source [SID1234584915]). Its leading program is GT101, a genetically unmodified TIL product that is currently being tested at a multi-centered clinical trial in China for solid malignancy indications. The round was led by GL Ventures, the VC arm of Hillhouse Group, with participation from Apricot Capital and Junshi Bio, as well as continued support from existing shareholders, Decheng Capital and Matrix Partners.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

On July 15, 2021, Royalty Pharma plc (the "Issuer") reported that it entered into an underwriting agreement (the "Underwriting Agreement"), by and among the Issuer, Royalty Pharma Holdings Limited (the "Guarantor"), RP Management, LLC (the "Manager") and BofA Securities, Inc., Citigroup Global Markets Inc., Goldman Sachs & Co. LLC, J.P. Morgan Securities LLC and Morgan Stanley & Co. LLC, as representatives of the several underwriters listed on Schedule I thereto (the "Underwriters"), pursuant to which the Issuer has agreed to issue and sell to the Underwriters $600 million aggregate principal amount of its 2.150% Senior Notes due 2031 and $700 million aggregate principal amount of its 3.350% Senior Notes due 2051 (the "Notes") in a registered public offering pursuant to an effective shelf registration statement on Form S-3 (Registration File No. 333- 257883) (Filing, 8-K, Royalty Pharma , JUL 15, 2021, View Source [SID1234584917]). The Notes will be guaranteed on a senior unsecured basis by Royalty Pharma Holdings Ltd. The offering is expected to close on July 26, 2021, subject to the satisfaction of customary closing conditions. The description of the Underwriting Agreement contained herein is qualified in its entirety by reference to the Underwriting Agreement, a copy of which is included as Exhibit 1.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

On July 15, 2021 XOMA Corporation (NASDAQ: XOMA), reported it has acquired the royalty interest position Kuros Biosciences holds in Checkmate Pharmaceuticals’ vidutolimod (CMP-001), an advanced-generation Toll-like receptor 9 agonist packaged in a virus-like particle, for $7.0 million upfront plus sales milestones (Press release, Xoma, JUL 15, 2021, View Source [SID1234584885]). Vidutolimod is designed to trigger the body’s innate immune system to attack tumors in combination with other therapies. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted Fast Track designation to vidutolimod for the treatment of certain types of metastatic or unresectable melanoma and an Orphan Drug designation for Stages IIb – IV melanoma.

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

"We were drawn to vidutolimod because of the breadth of Checkmate’s development activities," said Jim Neal, Chief Executive Officer at XOMA. "Checkmate currently is enrolling patients in a study with anti-PD-1 refractory advanced melanoma in combination with Bristol Myers Squibb’s Opdivo (nivolumab), a PD-1 blocking antibody, that is designed to serve as a registrational study. Checkmate also is pursuing a Phase 2/3 study in front line melanoma patients in combination with Opdivo and a study in patients with head and neck cancer and is planning a study in three indications in collaboration with Regeneron in non-melanoma skin cancers."

Under the terms of the agreement, XOMA has acquired all future potential royalties from commercial sales of vidutolimod, which are tiered from high-single to double digits. XOMA could receive up to $25 million in pre-commercial milestones associated with the Kuros/Checkmate license agreement. Kuros will be eligible to receive certain sales milestone payments from XOMA based on net sales of vidutolimod.

On July 15, 2021 PTC Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: PTCT) reported that the Company will host a webcast conference call to report its second quarter 2021 financial results and provide an update on the company’s business and outlook on Thursday, July 29, 2021, at 4:30 p.m. (ET) after the closing of the market (Press release, PTC Therapeutics, JUL 15, 2021, https://ir.ptcbio.com/news-releases/news-release-details/ptc-therapeutics-host-conference-call-discuss-second-quarter-6 [SID1234584869]).

Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:

Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing

                  Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!

The call can be accessed by dialing (877) 303-9216 (domestic) or (973) 935-8152 (international) five minutes prior to the start of the call and providing the passcode 7064479. A live, listen-only webcast of the conference call can be accessed on the investor relations section of the PTC website at View Source A webcast replay of the call will be available approximately two hours after completion of the call and will be archived on the company’s website for 30 days following the call.