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Mission Therapeutics to present at Solebury Trout, Venrock and Oppenheimer’s EU Summer Investor Tour

On July 13, 2021 Mission Therapeutics ("Mission"), a drug discovery and development company focused on selectively inhibiting deubiquitylating enzymes (DUBs), reported that its CEO, Anker Lundemose, will be presenting at the 5th annual EU Investor Tour hosted by Solebury Trout, Venrock, and Oppenheimer on 13-14 July (Press release, Mission Therapeutics, JUL 13, 2021, View Source [SID1234584805]).

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Anker will discuss the Company’s business strategy, technology, discovery platform and development programmes in a presentation to investors on Wednesday, 14 July at 10.15am ET / 3.15pm BST. The 30-minute presentation will be followed by a Q&A.

For individuals interested in attending the meeting, please contact the organisers for more information.

Genocea Doses First Patient in Phase 1/2a TiTAN Clinical Trial for GEN-011 Neoantigen-Targeted T cell Therapy

On July 13, 2021 Genocea Biosciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GNCA), a biopharmaceutical company developing next-generation neoantigen immunotherapies, reported the dosing of the first patient in its TiTAN study, a Phase 1/2a clinical trial testing its GEN-011 therapy. GEN-011 represents a new category of autologous solid tumor cell therapy: neoantigen-targeted peripheral T cells ("NPTs") (Press release, Genocea Biosciences, JUL 13, 2021, View Source [SID1234584804]).

"Dosing the first patient with GEN-011 represents an exciting milestone for Genocea and the field of neoantigen-targeted T cell therapy," said Thomas Davis, M.D., the company’s Chief Medical Officer. "We believe our GEN-011 therapy employs better targeting – using our ATLASTM platform to select optimal neoantigen targets that drive anti-tumor immune responses and avoid immunosuppressive InhibigensTM – and better T cells, derived from easily accessible peripheral blood as opposed to the tumor itself. We are grateful to the patients eager to participate in our trial, to our investigators, and to our colleagues here at Genocea for their great dedication to improve patients’ outcomes. We look forward to reporting top-line results from this study on a subset of patients late in the fourth quarter of 2021 or the first quarter of 2022."

About GEN-011
GEN-011 is a next-generation solid tumor therapy comprised of NPTs CD4+ and CD8+ which are specific for up to 30 antigens to limit tumor escape. NPTs have minimal bystander, non-tumor-specific cells, and are devoid of Inhibigen-specific cells which may be detrimental to clinical response.

About the GEN-011 TiTAN clinical trial
TiTAN is an open-label, multi-center Phase1/2a trial evaluating safety, tolerability, T cell persistence and proliferation and clinical efficacy. The TiTAN clinical trial is testing two dosing regimens, a repeated lower dose regimen of GEN-011 without lymphodepletion and a single high dose administration of GEN-011 after lymphodepletion. Both groups will receive interleukin-2 after GEN-011 dosing to maximize the tumor-killing potential of the infused cells. Initial data from the TiTAN trial is expected in late Q4 2021 or Q1 2022.

Bicycle Therapeutics Enters Exclusive License and Collaboration Agreement with Ionis to Develop Targeted Oligonucleotide Therapeutics

On July 13, 2021 Bicycle Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ: BCYC), a biotechnology company pioneering a new and differentiated class of therapeutics based on its proprietary bicyclic peptide (Bicycle) technology, reported that Ionis Pharmaceuticals has exercised its option and entered into an exclusive worldwide license and collaboration agreement for tissue-targeted delivery of oligonucleotide therapeutics using Bicycles with high affinity to the transferrin receptor (TfR1) (Press release, Bicycle Therapeutics, JUL 13, 2021, View Source [SID1234584803]).

Ionis had an option for an exclusive license under the terms of a December 2020 evaluation and option agreement. The agreement granted Ionis the right to evaluate tissue-targeting TfR1 binding Bicycles as vehicles to deliver oligonucleotide therapeutics to specific organ systems and an option to obtain an exclusive license at the end of the evaluation period.

Bicycle receives a total of $45 million upfront, which includes a license fee, an option fee, and an $11 million equity investment. Bicycle is also eligible to receive development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments and royalties for each program developed under the collaboration.

"This agreement stems from a highly successful collaboration with Ionis that began earlier in the year, during which Bicycles were shown to selectively deliver oligonucleotide payloads into TfR1-expressing tissue," said Kevin Lee, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Bicycle Therapeutics. "These data build upon our own work, and that of our partners, which have shown Bicycles targeted to tumor antigens can rapidly and selectively deliver a variety of payloads into solid tumors. This tissue-targeting payload-delivery capability is facilitated by the unique nature of Bicycles that inherently enables the conjugation of a diverse range of molecular cargos without impacting the pharmacology of the target. We believe Bicycles have the potential to become the targeting technology of choice for the development of precision medicines."

Bicycle has identified binders that it believes to be the first small molecules to target TfR1 with high specificity without modifying TfR1’s natural function. These binders present broad conjugation potential across multiple payloads, thereby resulting in the potential to treat diseases in multiple therapeutic areas, including those of the skeletal and cardiac muscles and of the central nervous system. Bicycle is currently also collaborating with the Dementia Discovery Fund (DDF) to advance potential TfR1 Bicycles for treating dementia.

Under the terms of the license and collaboration agreement, Ionis and Bicycle will collaborate to develop a pipeline of oligonucleotide therapeutic product candidates delivered using the tissue-targeting TfR1 Bicycle technology, while Bicycle retains the rights to use TfR1 Bicycles for all non-oligonucleotide therapeutic purposes, including within its existing collaboration with DDF targeting dementia.

Astellas Named to FTSE4Good Index Series for 10 Consecutive Years

On July 13, 2021 Astellas Pharma Inc. (President and CEO: Kenji Yasukawa, Ph.D., "Astellas") reported that it has been named to the FTSE4Good Index Series for 10 consecutive years, as a company that is performing excellent initiatives in the areas of ESG [environmental (E), social (S), governance (G)] (Press release, Astellas, JUL 13, 2021, View Source [SID1234584802]).

Astellas has conducted various activities based on the thought that Astellas’ contribution to the sustainability of society means the realization its philosophy. These sustained activities led Astellas to recognize and to be selected in such for a decade.

In the year ended 31 March 2021, Astellas reviewed its past activities and formulated its basic sustainability policy, which aims to improve the sustainability of both the global society and Astellas with the ESG in mind, instead of the conventional CSR-Based management. Astellas is working to further conducte its sustainability activities and expand its information disclosure*1.

Astellas has set "Deepen our Engagement in Sustainability" as one of its new strategic goals in its Corporate Strategic Plan 2021*2. In addition to implementing "Value Protection" which is an initiative to comply with regulations and meet the requirements from the global society, Astellas will further strengthen "Value Creation" activities to provide its patients’ access to innovative therapeutics and take proactive measures to conserve the global environment.

Besides the FTSE4Good Index Series, Astellas also has been named to all ESG investment indices selected by the Government Pension Investment Fund of Japan. These are the FTSE Blossom Japan Index, the MSCI Japan ESG Select Leaders Index, the MSCI Japan Empowering Women Index (WIN), and the S&P/JPX Carbon Efficient Index.

Astellas will continue to work under its basic policy of sustainability, which is to improve the sustainability of both the global society and Astellas while keeping ESG in mind.

Nimbus Therapeutics Announces $105 Million Private Financing to Advance Pipeline Including Multiple Clinical Programs

On July 13, 2021 Nimbus Therapeutics, a biotechnology company designing breakthrough medicines through structure-based drug discovery and development, reported the closing of a $105 million private financing round (Press release, Nimbus Therapeutics, JUL 13, 2021, View Source [SID1234584800]). The round was led by BVF Partners L.P. (BVF), with participation from existing investors including RA Capital Management and Atlas Venture. Access Biotechnology, Commodore Capital, Logos Capital, Surveyor Capital (a Citadel company), and a large alternative asset manager joined as new investors in this financing.

"This financing from some of the world’s leading investors is validation of the exciting potential within Nimbus’ product pipeline and the singular expertise Nimbus brings in advancing these products forward. Spurred by compelling data from studies of our novel allosteric TYK2 inhibitor, we will be embarking upon multiple Phase 2 clinical studies in 2021 and 2022 to elucidate the full range of potential patient benefit from this novel therapeutic," said Jeb Keiper, M.S., MBA, Chief Executive Officer of Nimbus. "Our clinical expertise with this molecule to date combined with our strong capital position make Nimbus uniquely well-resourced to advance this important medicine through the clinic in the years to come."

In addition to the Phase 2 studies of Nimbus’ allosteric TYK2 inhibitor, the financing will support a first-in-human study of the company’s HPK1 inhibitor candidate in cancer patients with solid tumors, which will begin later this year, and will accelerate preclinical programs against multiple targets in oncology and immunology. The company expects to initiate IND-enabling studies on two novel agents in 2022.

"Nimbus’ pipeline is positioned to deliver multiple clinical readouts over the next 18 months that have the promise to help transform patients’ lives," said Bruce Booth, D.Phil., co-founder and Chairman of the Board of Nimbus. "We are fortunate to have the support of many new investors joining Nimbus, and we welcome Sam Huang from BVF to the Board."

"We’re proud to lead this most recent financing round, and we see the tremendous potential of Nimbus’ vision, pipeline, and team," said Mark Lampert, founder and CEO of BVF.