On February 6, 2024 Upthera Co., Ltd. (CEO Choi Si-woo), a company specializing in the development of innovative new drugs based on Targeted Protein Degradation (TPD) technology, reported that it had signed a collaboration agreement with Boryung Co., Ltd. (CEOs Kim Jeong-gyun and Jang Du-hyeon), a leader in the domestic anticancer drug field, for the joint research and development and early commercialization of a new drug candidate for Multiple Myeloma (MM).
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The core objective of this collaboration agreement is to license Upthera’s early discovery-stage pipeline of transcription factor proteolytic compounds to licensees, including multinational pharmaceutical companies. To this end, Upthera plans to collaborate by focusing on research and development to rapidly identify nonclinical candidates, while Boryung will carry out proactive business development activities from the early stages of research and development.
Through this agreement, Uptera is scheduled to receive a fixed upfront payment from Boryung and milestone payments upon the achievement of specific results by the time the candidate substance is identified. If this protein degradation compound achieves a technology export to a third party, Boryung will receive a certain percentage of the generated profits and retain exclusive domestic rights upon successful commercialization. The amounts of the upfront payment and milestone payments under the agreement between the two companies have agreed not to be disclosed.
Multiple myeloma is a disease characterized by the abnormal proliferation of plasma cells, resulting in multiple symptoms throughout the body; it is classified as one of the three major blood cancers, along with leukemia and lymphoma. Due to population growth and aging, the number of patients with the disease is continuously increasing, and it is an intractable cancer with a very high recurrence rate, meaning there is virtually no concept of a cure. Currently, various treatments and options for multiple myeloma exist, including Revlimid (Lenalidomide), Darzalex (Daratumumab), and Pomalist; however, the consensus among clinicians is that more new drugs and treatment options are needed, considering the characteristics of multiple myeloma, such as the very high recurrence rate and the large number of patients who are refractory to existing treatments.
The transcription factor protein in question was already well known through many prior studies as a very promising drug target for the treatment of multiple myeloma. However, transcription factor proteins are generally small in size, have few binding pockets, and contain many cofactors, making them representative undruggable targets for which new drug development was difficult using the existing small molecule inhibitor modality.
However, targeted protein degradation technology, including PROTACs that selectively degrade disease-causing proteins through the body’s ubiquitin proteasome system (UPS), enables degradation as long as the disease-causing protein is ubiquitinated in any way; based on this specific advantage, it is possible to develop new drugs that inhibit (degrade) transcription factor proteins. Upthera is currently developing a new drug candidate that degrades a specific transcription factor protein, which plays a key role in the differentiation of B cells into antibody-producing plasma cells, using targeted protein degradation technology.
Since the transcription factor proteins targeted by Upthera are representative undetectable targets, there is no history of developing inhibitors or binder compounds that bind to these proteins. Therefore, Upthera is discovering novel hit binder compounds that bind to these transcription factor proteins through DEL screening (DNA encoded library screening) via external partners and its own chemoproteomics-based covalent binder screening platform (UPPBEAT), and is currently developing targeted proteolytic compounds.
Regarding multiple myeloma treatments, Boryung possesses Revlikin Capsules (active ingredient: Lenalidomide) and Belkin Injection (active ingredient: Bortezomib), which are currently marketed in Korea, as well as Aplidin (active ingredient: Plitidepsin), for which Boryung holds exclusive commercial rights after introducing it to the domestic market from the Spanish pharmaceutical company PharmaMar. Furthermore, having successfully avoided the patent for Pomalist (active ingredient: Pomalidomide), a multiple myeloma treatment, in 2021, Boryung is eligible to apply for generic approval in 2023. Consequently, Boryung plans to build a diverse portfolio of multiple myeloma treatments ranging from first-line to third-line standard therapies. Leveraging its marketing experience with multiple myeloma treatments and a network of relevant experts and clinicians, Boryung possesses a deep understanding and expertise regarding the multiple myeloma and related treatment market. Through this, the company intends to effectively carry out proactive business development activities regarding this transcription factor proteolytic compound.
Boryung CEO Jang Doo-hyun stated, "We expect excellent results from the combination of Uptera’s R&D capabilities and Boryung’s know-how in the anticancer drug business," adding, "We will focus on the early development of the new drug to provide hope to multiple myeloma patients with a new treatment option."
Uptera CEO Choi Si-woo stated, "I am very pleased to be able to collaborate with Boryung, a leader in the domestic anticancer drug field. We will strive to achieve research and development and commercialization results as soon as possible by combining the technological and commercialization capabilities of both companies."
(Press release, Uppthera, FEB 6, 2024, View Source [SID1234664779])