Under this collaboration, Actinium will utilize its AWE Platform to conjugate and label selected Astellas targeting agents with the powerful actinium-225 (225Ac) payload. Actinium will also be responsible for conducting preclinical validation studies on the novel ARCs generated. Actinium will receive a seven-digit payment which includes upfront fee and research funding from Astellas.
Actinium Chief Scientific Officer Dr Dale Ludwig said: “We are thrilled to be working with Astellas, a global leader at the forefront of healthcare innovation on this exciting collaboration. This further showcases the value of Actinium’s AWE technology by enabling biomolecules with the potent cell killing power of 225Ac.
“Our AWE Platform introduces a novel and complementary mechanism of action which is supported by significant preclinical and clinical data. We are well positioned to execute on this exciting collaboration and look forward to advancing the field of Actinium-225 Radio-Conjugates through this collaboration with Astellas.”
Actinium formally launched its AWE Program in November 2017 to facilitate collaborations and partnerships where the Company’s intellectual property, know-how and expertise related to its AWE Platform Technology could be leveraged.
This collaboration with Astellas comes on the heels of Actinium’s recent successful demonstration of the capabilities of its AWE Platform Technology where superior celling killing properties of the 225Ac-enabled CD38 targeting blockbuster drug daratumumab or DarzalexTM was presented in a poster presentation at ASH 2017. Additional data on this ARC will be presented at the upcoming AACR 2018 conference.
The AWE Program provides Astellas with access to Actinium’s proprietary ARC technology, its technical know-how, expertise and research infrastructure to enable efficient execution of the collaborative research program.
Actinium’s chairman and CEO Sandesh Seth said: “Actinium is a leader in the field of Actinium Radio-Conjugates and the only company with end to end research, drug development, supply chain and regulatory expertise that is not captive or affiliated with a large pharmaceutical company. “
The Actinium Warhead Enabling (AWE) Program has at its centerpiece the AWE Platform Technology. The Company’s proprietary AWE Platform Technology is supported by intellectual property and know-how that enables the creation of Actinium-225 (225Ac) Radio-Conjugates (ARCs) wherein a biomolecular targeting agent is stably labeled with the powerful 225Ac payload to enhance targeted cell killing.
The AWE Platform is protected by intellectual property covering the use of the “gold standard” chelator DOTA, and any conceivable derivative thereof. Additionally, Actinium holds intellectual property protection covering methods of chelation or labeling of the targeting agent with 225Ac, including newer next-generation methodologies for chelation of 225Ac.
The AWE Program is structured to provide the opportunity for partners or collaborators to derive maximum value from a collaboration by leveraging Actinium’s extensive technical know-how, access to its ARC drug development infrastructure and to its underlying AWE Platform Technology.
The AWE Program provides a partner or collaborator with access to Actinium’s knowledge bank and infrastructure allowing collaborators to benefit from accelerated development timelines for its ARCs.
Source: Company Press Release