Advertise With UsAdvertise on our extensive network of industry websites and newsletters.
Get the PBR newsletterSign up to our free email to get all the latest PBR
news.Bayer HealthCare Pharmaceuticals’ submission of an investigational new drug (IND) application for the targeted antibody payload (TAP) compound BAY 94-9343 has triggered a $2m milestone payment to ImmunoGen.
Subscribe to our email newsletter
BAY 94-9343 consists of a Bayer HealthCare antibody that targets mesothelin with ImmunoGen’s DM4 cancer-cell killing agent attached using one of the company’s engineered linkers.
Bayer HealthCare is developing BAY 94-9343 using ImmunoGen’s maytansinoid TAP technology, under an agreement to develop anticancer therapeutics that target mesothelin.
Mesothelin is highly expressed on mesotheliomas and on many ovarian and pancreatic carcinomas.
In preclinical testing, BAY 94-9343 demonstrated potent, targeted anticancer activity against mesothelin-expressing tumors.
Under this agreement, ImmunoGen is entitled to receive milestone payments potentially totaling up to $170.5m for each resulting product plus royalties on sales.
ImmunoGen president and CEO Daniel Junius said in addition to BAY 94-9343, they expect five other TAP compounds to advance into clinical testing in next one year – two developed and wholly owned by ImmunoGen and three through collaborations with other companies.
"Overall, we anticipate that there will be twelve TAP compounds in the clinic by this time next year," Junius said.