Astras stays competitive in Hemoglobin cancer target, paying $130 million license to Evopoint Drugs

Astellas Pharma has obtained the first FDA approval after Claudin 18.2, a protein that overexpresses the cell surface of gastrointestinal cancers, making it an attractive drug target. However, the company showed interest in pursuing multiple drug-addicted targets and through a protocol that promoted the rights of clinical-stage molecules, comparing the strategy to Evopoint Biosciences.

Astras-approved drug Vyloy is a monoclonal antibody. Japanese pharmaceutical companies have also developed a bispecific antibody targeting gut proteins, which is usually shortened to CLDN18.2. Evopoint’s drug candidate XNW27011 is a drug called antibody drug conjugate (ADC).

Astras has agreed to pay $130 million in evopoint drug rights under the terms of the agreement announced late Thursday. Astellas said Evopoint’s medicine is suitable for its pipeline, which includes other methods for other targets and ADCs that are developing other targets. XNW27011 is currently being tested in China on Phase 1/2, which is based on Evopoint. The study is evaluating drugs that express solid tumors in CLDN18.2, including gastric cancer, gastric cancer and pancreatic cancer.

Vyloy approved the treatment of gastric or gastroesophageal adenocarcinoma (GEJ) adenocarcinoma expressing CLDN18.2 in October. While Astellas won regulatory approval for drugs that follow the protein for the first time, other companies are still pursuing that goal. This potential competition includes ADC. Astrazeneca’s ADC, named AZD0901, has been tested in 3-stages in gastric and GEJ adenocarcinoma. Earlier this year, Arrivent Biopharma acquired CLDN18.2 targeted ADC from Lepu Biopharma in Shanghai. However, some ADC efforts are in conflict with this goal. Altitude oncology stopped its development of CLDN18.2-targeted ADC in March due to disappointing phase one results.

Astras and Evopoint’s consent granted the Japanese company the right to grant XNW27011 globally, excluding mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. In addition to the advance payment, the deal lined up Evopoints with a maximum of $70 million in recent payments. Milestone payments could bring a total of up to $1.34 billion. If Astellas is able to commercialize ADC, the company will also pay Evopoint royalties for the drug sale.

“We look forward to leveraging our expertise in CLDN18.2 and GI cancer to advance XNW27011 and deliver meaningful results to patients,” Adam Pearson, Astras Chief Strategy Officer, said in a prepared statement.

Photo: Kiyoshi Ota/Bloomberg, by Getty Images