BioNTech has opted not to further contribute to a co-owned PD-L1 x 4-1BB bispecific antibody with Genmab, meaning the Danish biotech will have to move into Phase 3 later this year on its own.
The German biotech, which grew massively due to Covid-19 but is attempting to mount a return to its origins as a cancer drug developer, said the “emerging clinical profile” of the asset is “encouraging” but chose to end its co-development pact because of “portfolio strategy,” according to a quarterly update on Monday.
The partners presented Phase 2 data on the non-small cell lung cancer asset, named acasunlimab, at this year’s ASCO confab in June. It is being tested as a monotherapy and in combination with Merck’s Keytruda.
The duo has been tied up together since 2015, and they’ll continue their collaboration outside of acasunlimab, Genmab said. The pair expanded their pact in 2022.
“BioNTech and Genmab will continue to jointly develop three active clinical stage programs as part of our successful strategic collaboration, which include BNT312, BNT315, and BNT322,” a BioNTech spokesperson wrote in an emailed statement to Endpoints News.
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Jan van de Winkel“Genmab is exceptionally well-positioned to maximize the potential of acasunlimab, and we are confident about the prospect of taking acasunlimab into late-stage development as our second wholly owned Genmab asset in addition to Rina-S,” Genmab CEO Jan van de Winkel said in a statement, referring to the lead antibody-drug conjugate from its $1.8 billion ProfoundBio acquisition. “We look forward to our continued partnership with BioNTech on other pipeline programs.”
Acasunlimab, also known as BNT311/GEN1046, was highlighted as one of Genmab’s 2024 priorities and a key pillar in its pipeline, according to investor presentations this year.
Genmab said the move doesn’t impact its 2024 financial guidance. It could owe BioNTech undisclosed milestones and a tiered single-digit royalty if the drug is approved.
The companies evenly shared costs and future potential profits. The drug was created with Genmab’s so-called DuoBody platform.
