Gilead Sciences’ partnership with Merus could yield novel antibody drugs capable of binding to three targets simultaneously. The alliance follows a collaboration that Gilead started last year with Tentarix Biotherapeutics, a startup also developing antibodies that bind to multiple targets. By FRANK VINLUAN Bispecific antibody drugs have shown that binding to two targets simultaneously can be a powerful and effective way to treat cancer. Binding to three targets could be even better, and Gilead Sciences is turning to biotech company Merus to find out. Under the collaboration agreement announced Wednesday, Gilead is paying Merus $56 million up front and making a $25 million equity investment in the biotech. Netherlands-based Merus focuses on developing antibody therapies that bind to two or three targets at the same time. This capability could block multiple receptors that drive tumor growth and survival. It could also coax a patient’s immune cells to kill tumors. So ...
Depicting the plight of patients with chronic and potentially fatal diseases is always a challenge for pharma companies, but Gilead Sciences has quite literally found a novel way forward.Teaming up with British historian, presenter and writer Professor David Olusoga, OBE, Gilead is launching “From the Margins,” (PDF) in what is intended to be one of the most difficult books to read. That’s because the book has every word printed entirely in the margins of the pages in what Gilead and Prof. Olusoga see as a direct inversion of a normal book. The idea is simple: “To tell the profoundly moving personal stories of marginalized people living with HIV, Hepatitis C and cancer,” according to a statement sent to Fierce Pharma Marketing. Gilead markets drugs for all three diseases. The book is specific to Britain and being run to “to raise awareness of the issue of marginalization and health inequality in ...
Gilead Sciences, Inc. GILD and its newly acquired cell therapy subsidiary -Kite Pharma- announced that they have inked an agreement to acquire Cell Design Labs, Inc. for $567 million. Gilead will also acquire 12.2% of Cell Design shares which are owned by Kite Pharma.
The flurry of Trodelvy developments accentuates what Gilead CEO Dan O’Day called “a time of focused execution” at the California biotech. (Jim Watson/AFP/Getty Images) After a negative phase 3 readout, Gilead Sciences is taking a $2.4 billion impairment charge on Trodelvy, which serves as the cornerstone of the company’s solid tumor ambition. Gilead has cut the carrying value of Trodelvy to $3.5 billion in its first-quarter report, from $5.9 billion at the end of 2023, CFO Andrew Dickinson told investors during a call Thursday. The move comes after a January report of a phase 3 trial that the TROP2-directed antibody-drug conjugate failed to significantly extend the lives of patients with previously treated non-small cell lung cancer compared with chemotherapy. The bad news at that time caused a 10% slide in Gilead’s stock price. The write-off reflects a “smaller addressable market that Trodelvy could serve among second-line-plus metastatic non-small cell lung ...
Don Tracy, Associate Editor Deal aims to commercialize XTX301 for treating advanced solid tumors by leveraging Xilio’s tumor-activated immuno-oncology therapies. Gilead Sciences and Xilio Therapeutics announced that they have agreed to terms on a licensing agreement regarding XTX301, Xilio’s Phase I tumor-activated IL-12. According to Gilead, the partnership aims to expand the company’s focus in immuno-oncology, leveraging Xilio’s novel tumor-activation platform to improve its therapeutic nature and build a consistent pipeline of tumor-activated molecules. As per the deal, Xilio will receive an upfront payment of $43.5 million, with $30 million in cash and an equity investment of $13.5 million provided by Gilead in common stock. Overall, Xilio will have the opportunity to earn up to $604 million based on specified development, regulatory, and sales-based milestones.1 “Xilio’s novel tumor-activation platform naturally complements Gilead’s clinical development program in difficult-to-treat cancers and expands our focus in immuno-oncology,” said Bill Grossman, MD, PhD, SVP, ...
Don Tracy, Associate Editor Phase II clinical study showed that children as young as six years of age with hepatitis B virus could benefit from treatment with Vemlidy. The FDA has approved an expanded indication for Gilead’s Vemlidy (tenofovir alafenamide), to treat chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection in pediatric patients aged six years and older who weigh at least 25 kg and have compensated liver disease. In 2016, the medication was initially approved for adults with chronic HBV and compensated liver disease, with an extended use approved in 2022 for children aged 12 years and above. Approval for the expanded indication was based on positive results stemming from Gilead’s Phase II clinical trial (Trial 1092) after 96 weeks, showing safety and efficacy in younger children. According to the study data, participants experienced progressive increases in the rates of virological suppression compared to those administered a placebo.1 “Chronic hepatitis B ...
The agreement outlines the potential for Merus to earn up to $1.5bn payments from Gilead. Merus will head the early-stage research works for two programmes, with the option to expand to a third asset. Credit: aslysun / Shutterstock.com. Gilead Sciences has entered a research partnership, option and licence agreement with Merus for the discovery of dual tumour-associated antigens targeting trispecific antibodies. The partnership will leverage Merus’ Triclonics technology and Gilead’s capabilities in the oncology field. The aim is to advance multiple preclinical research programmes that could potentially transform cancer treatment. Merus focuses on the development of full-length, multispecific antibodies named Biclonics and Triclonics, referred to collectively as Multiclonics. These antibodies are created by a common light chain technology. The Triclonics trispecific platform creates antibodies that can target three different antigens simultaneously. Merus will spearhead the early-stage research works for two programmes, with the option to expand to a third asset. ...
Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals shared plans for its new antibody evaluation and option agreement with Gilead Sciences. In the deal, Gilead will gain access to Biocytogen’s fully human antibody library. The agreement gives Gilead a three-year nomination period to choose its targets of interest and assess the selected antibodies, with the option of acquiring selected antibodies for worldwide therapeutic development. Biocytogen owns four genetically engineered RenMice platforms for the discovery of multiple antibody types. This includes bispecific antibody-drug conjugates (ADC), TCR-mimic antibodies and more. As of June 2023, the China-based company was part of 50 therapeutic antibody and multiple clinical asset co-development, out-licensing and transfer agreements. Earlier this year, Biocytogen partnered with Radiance Biopharma to share its bispecific ADC expertise. The company also signed deals with Ona Therapeutics in December 2023 and Myricx Bio in September 2023 to develop ADCs. This correlates with an uptick in high-value deals recently seen in the ...
Gilead Sciences had paused enrolment in the magrolimab solid tumour trials, with the FDA requesting a partial clinical hold on these studies. Earlier this month, the US regulatory agency placed a full clinical hold on all the clinical trials of magrolimab for myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukaemia (AML). “Gilead will likely decide to deprioritise the magrolimab programme entirely,” said Sakis Paliouras, associate director for oncology research and analysis at GlobalData. Adding: “it is less likely, but still possible, that the company will come back from the clinical hold and continue the programme.” The latest partial clinical hold affects the Phase II trials of magrolimabin multiple solid tumour conditions such as head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (NCT04854499), triple-negative breast cancer (NCT04958785), and colorectal cancer (NCT05330429). In addition to Gilead-sponsored trials, the partial clinical also applies to Investigator Sponsored Studies with magrolimab in solid tumours. Paliouras said the blood ...
Dragonfly Therapeutics has entered a clinical collaboration with Gilead Sciences to assess the potential of its investigational drug candidate DF1001 with the latter’s Trodelvy for two cancer indications. The study of the combination regimen will focus on metastatic breast cancer (mBC) and non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). DF1001 is designed to act on natural killer (NK) cells and T-cell activation signals, leveraging co-stimulation of NK receptor NKG2D and CD16 for NK cell activation. Trodelvy is a Trophoblast cell-surface antigen 2-directed antibody-drug conjugate. Dragonfly will maintain operational control of the trial, with the first patients receiving the combination treatment in the second quarter of 2024. Study sites are already operational in the US, Belgium, France, Denmark and the Netherlands. The study is set to expand, with additional sites in Europe, North America and Asia Pacific. Developed using Dragonfly’s TriNKET platform, DF1001 is being evaluated in adult patients for the treatment of ...
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