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news.ImmunoGen has received a $2 million milestone payment from Sanofi-Aventis after clinical testing with huMy9-6-DM4 in acute myeloid leukemia was initiated as part of the companies' antibody collaboration.
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HuMy9-6-DM4, a tumor-activated prodrug (TAP) compound, comprises the engineered antibody huMy9-6, which binds specifically to the CD33 target found on acute myeloid leukemia cancer cells, and DM4, a potent cell-killing agent.
ImmunoGen’s TAP technology uses tumor-targeting antibodies to deliver a proprietary cell-killing agent specifically to cancer cells. In the case of huMy9-6-DM4, the huMy9-6 antibody serves to deliver the DM4 specifically to the CD33-expressing acute myeloid leukemia cells, and the DM4 serves to kill these cells.
ImmunoGen and Sanofi-Aventis have a collaboration to discover, develop, and commercialize novel antibody-based anticancer products. The agreement entitles ImmunoGen to receive milestone payments upon the accomplishment of pre-defined product-related achievements plus royalties on the sales, if any, of each collaboration product.
The agreement also provides ImmunoGen with research support payments of at least $50.7 million over three years, manufacturing payments, and certain co-promotion rights.
Dr Mitchel Sayare, chairman and CEO of ImmunoGen, commented, “At the time we entered into this collaboration, the anti-CD33 TAP compound was on track for investigational new drug (IND) filing in 2004 and initiation of clinical testing shortly thereafter. We are pleased with the pace that Aventis, and subsequently, Sanofi-Aventis has advanced huMy9-6-DM4, and that patient dosing with this compound has begun.”