Bristol Myers Squibb pays $ 350 million to extend its range in radiopharmaceuticals to prostate cancer

The efforts of Bristol Myers Squibb to diversify its cancer portfolio beyond immunotherapy brought the radiopharmaceuticals to its pipeline. Now he extends his radiopharmaceutical scope to prostate cancer with a license agreement for a compound at an early stage in Philochem.

The BMS Radiopharmaceuticals subsidiary, Rayzebio, has the grant of global rights of the OCOACP3 of Philochem, which is developed both as a diagnostic agent and targeted therapy for prostate cancer. The pharmaceutical giant pays $ 350 million in advance for global rights to the assets, according to the transaction conditions announced on Tuesday evening.

Oncoacp3 is a small molecule is designed to bind specifically to phosphatase 3 acid (ACP3). This enzyme is abundant in prostate cancer cells, which makes its value both to diagnose the disease and serve as a biomarker for targeted therapy. For diagnostic applications, ONCOACP3 is associated with Radio-Isotope Gallium 68 (68GA).

Philochem has reached phase 1 tests of 68GA-ONCOACP3 as a radirateur for the diagnostic imaging of prostate cancer. The company said that the initial data of the first group of patients evaluated with this diagnostic candidate showed selective absorption by tumor cells but not healthy cells. The molecule also remained in tumors for a long time.

Philochem said preclinical research to support an application to advance oncoacp3 to a phase 1 test as prostate cancer therapy is underway. Therapy will couple the small molecule with Actinium 225, a radio-isotope emitting alpha. Actinium-225 is also the radioactive particle used by Rayzebio, which BMS acquired last year in an agreement of $ 4.1 billion.

Rayzebio’s most advanced program is RYZ101, therapy currently in phase 3 test for gastroenteropancreatic neuroendocrine tumors (net GEP), a type of gastrointestinal cancer. This study specifically recruits patients whose disease has not responded to treatment with Lutathera, an approval of the FDA allocated to the FDA of Novartis for GEP-NETS in 2018. Lutathera uses lutetium-1977 of the beta-177 particle. Compared to beta particles, alpha particles provide higher energy which offers better capacity for tumors.

Rayzebio explores the potential of Ryz101 in other cancers. Phase 1 tests separated from the radiopharmaceuticals inscribe patients with HER2 negative HR2 breast cancer as well as a lung cancer with small cells at an extensive stage.

Beyond the initial sum that BMS pays for Philochem, the company based in Otelfingen, Switzerland, could receive up to $ 1 billion in significant payments linked to the progression of oncoacp3, as well as sales fees if the radiopharmaceutical, or RPT, reaches the market. The agreement, which is subject to regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions, should end in the third quarter of this year.

“This collaboration with Philochem improves our leadership in the Radiopharmaceuticals space in advance rapid advance, in accordance with our strategy aimed at presenting the best candidates of the RPT in class,” said Rayzebio president Ben Hickey, in a prepared statement. “Oncoacp3, with its initial encouraging safety profile, provides a differentiated entry for Bristol Myers Squibb and Rayzebio in the prostate cancer arena, based on our leadership in RPT development based on Actinium.”

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