On September 17, 2014 Merck Serono reported a collaboration and license agreement to develop antibody drug conjugates (ADCs). ADCs are composed of an antibody linked to a cytotoxic drug. The antibody is thought to specifically target and deliver the cytotoxic drug to the cancer cells (Press release Sutro Biopharma, SEP 17, 2014, View Source [SID:1234500754]).

The collaboration will allow Merck Serono to take advantage of Sutro’s technology platforms in its oncology programs to develop ADCs for multiple undisclosed targets. Both companies believe that ADCs have the potential for directly targeting cancer cells while safeguarding healthy tissue, and will combine Merck Serono’s knowledge about target biology with Sutro’s technological and discovery capabilities to jointly develop ADCs. By following a strategic approach of creating partnerships, Merck Serono and Sutro aim to develop drug candidates that may ultimately address the unmet needs of patients.

“We continue to explore opportunities that will allow us to better understand the potential ADCs have in directly targeting cancer cells,” said Andree Blaukat, Senior Vice President and Head of Translational Innovation Platform Oncology at Merck Serono. “This collaboration with Sutro is reflective of our ongoing commitment to advancing innovation that may provide new therapies for patients.”

“This partnership will help us to advance our position as a leading drug discovery partner to renowned pharmaceutical companies like Merck,” said William J. Newell, chief executive officer of Sutro. “Together with Merck Serono, we will further advance our efforts to develop antibody therapeutics, engineered to deliver a cytotoxic agent to cancer cells. Our technology has been developed to allow loading of an antibody with multiple different agents, and to enable a potential higher uptake of the drug in the tumor cell through an improved stability of the ADC.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Sutro and Merck Serono will collaborate to discover and develop multiple ADCs utilizing Sutro’s cell-free protein synthesis platforms, Xpress CF and Xpress CF+. Sutro will be responsible for delivering ADCs for Phase I clinical trials. Merck Serono will be responsible for clinical development and commercialization of any resulting products.
Merck Serono will make an upfront payment to Sutro and will fund certain R&D activities. Sutro is also eligible to receive payments on completion of certain research, development and regulatory milestones potentially totaling approximately € 230 million as well as royalties on product sales. Further financial details are not being disclosed.

On September 16, 2014 Regeneron Pharmaceuticals reported that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted EYLEA (aflibercept) Injection Breakthrough Therapy designation for the treatment of diabetic retinopathy in patients with diabetic macular edema (DME) (Press release Regeneron, SEP 16, 2014, View Source [SID:1234500753]). The designation is based on positive results in two Phase 3 trials (VIVID-DME and VISTA-DME), in which EYLEA demonstrated a statistically significant improvement in a pre-specified measure of diabetic retinopathy in patients with DME after two years of treatment.

“Millions of people in the U.S. are living with diabetic eye diseases that can cause vision loss and even blindness,” said George D. Yancopoulos, M.D., Ph.D., Chief Scientific Officer of Regeneron and President of Regeneron Laboratories. “There are no FDA-approved medicines for diabetic retinopathy and we look forward to working closely with the FDA to potentially bring EYLEA to these patients as soon as possible. We plan to submit a supplemental Biologics License Application (sBLA) in the U.S. for diabetic retinoapthy in patients with DME later this year.”

In the Phase 3 VIVID-DME trial in diabetic retinopathy patients with DME, 29 percent of evaluable patients in the 2Q4 group (monthly) and 33 percent of evaluable patients in the 2Q8 group (every two months, after 5 initial monthly injections) treated with EYLEA experienced at least a 2-step improvement on the diabetic retinopathy severity scale (DRSS), a grading system measuring the degree of retinopathy, compared to 8 percent of patients in the laser control group (p less than 0.001). In the Phase 3 VISTA-DME trial in diabetic retinopathy patients with DME, 40 percent of evaluable patients in both the 2Q4 and 2Q8 groups treated with EYLEA experienced at least a 2-step improvement on the DRSS compared to 17 percent of patients in the laser control group (p less than 0.0001). The most frequent ocular adverse events (AEs) observed in the VIVID-DME trial were conjunctival hemorrhage, cataract, and increased intraocular pressure. The most frequent ocular AEs observed in the VISTA-DME trial were conjunctival hemorrhage, eye pain, and vitreous floaters. The two-year results from these trials on the primary endpoint of best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA) and overall safety have been previously announced and are available here.

The Breakthrough Therapy designation was created by the FDA to expedite the development and review of drugs for serious or life-threatening conditions. Drugs qualifying for this designation must show credible evidence of a substantial improvement on a clinically significant endpoint over available therapies, or over placebo if there is no available therapy. The designation includes all of the fast track program features, as well as more intensive FDA guidance and discussion. The Breakthrough Therapy designation is distinct from both accelerated approval and priority review, which can also be granted to the same drug if relevant criteria are met.

EYLEA is approved in the United States, European Union (EU) and other countries for the treatment of wet age-related macular degeneration (AMD), macular edema following central retinal vein occlusion (CRVO), and DME. Regulatory submissions have been made for EYLEA in the U.S. and EU for macular edema following branch retinal vein occlusion (BRVO).

About Diabetic Retinopathy and Diabetic Macular Edema (DME)
Diabetic retinopathy is a common complication of diabetes, causing damage to the retina, which may lead to poor vision and vision loss. Over time, patients with diabetic retinopathy are at risk of experiencing vision-threatening events. These include DME, which refers to the swelling of the macula (the part of the retina responsible for central, fine vision) and progression to proliferative diabetic retinopathy, which often results in profound visual loss due to associated complications including vitreous hemorrhage and/or tractional retinal detachment. DME is the most frequent cause of vision loss in patients with diabetes and eventually can lead to blindness.1,2 It is estimated that of the 29.1 million American adults living with diabetes, 7.7 million have diabetic retinopathy, 1.5 million have been diagnosed with DME and approximately another million cases of DME are undiagnosed.3,4,5 Diabetic retinopathy and DME occur when blood vessels in the retina are damaged by chronic high blood sugar levels caused by diabetes.

Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), a naturally occurring family of growth factors in the body, appears to play a critical role in the development of DME.