SAN FRANCISCO, May 22, 2017 /PRNewswire/ -- Nektar
Therapeutics (NASDAQ: NKTR) announced today that Takeda
Pharmaceutical Company Limited (TSE: 4502) and Nektar have entered
into a research collaboration to explore the combination of
Nektar's lead immuno-oncology candidate, the CD122-biased agonist
NKTR-214, with five oncology compounds from Takeda's cancer
portfolio. The two companies will explore the anti-cancer
activity of NKTR-214 with five different targeted mechanisms in
preclinical tumor models of lymphoma, melanoma and colorectal
cancer.
"We look forward to collaborating with Takeda to explore a range
of combination therapy approaches in models of both liquid and
solid tumors," said Jonathan
Zalevsky, PhD, Senior Vice President of Biology and
Preclinical Development. "Importantly, this research collaboration
will allow us to understand the potential of NKTR-214 with key
compounds in the Takeda oncology portfolio, including a
SYK-inhibitor and a proteasome inhibitor, and identify which
combination treatment regimens show the most promise for possible
advancement into the clinic."
"We see significant potential in Nektar's unique CD122-biased
agonist in particular the ability to stimulate tumor-killing
T-cells in the tumor micro-environment itself," said Phil Rowlands, PhD, Head, Oncology Therapeutic
Area Unit, Takeda. "Research partnerships are an important part of
helping us advance our aspiration of curing cancer. Working
together with Nektar will enable us to identify combinations with
exciting preclinical activity and help us achieve Takeda's goal of
developing innovative, targeted therapies to treat people with
cancer."
Under the terms of the collaboration, the companies will share
costs related to the preclinical studies and each will contribute
their respective compounds to the research collaboration.
Nektar and Takeda will each maintain global commercial rights to
their respective drugs and/or drug candidates.
NKTR-214 is an investigational immuno-stimulatory therapy
designed to expand specific cancer-fighting CD8+ effector T cells
and natural killer (NK) cells directly in the tumor
micro-environment and increase expression of PD-1 on these immune
cells. NKTR-214 targets CD122 specific receptors found on the
surface of these cancer-fighting immune cells in order to stimulate
their proliferation. In clinical and preclinical studies,
treatment with NKTR-214 resulted in expansion of these cells and
mobilization into the tumor micro-environment.1,2,3
NKTR-214 has an antibody-like dosing regimen similar to the
existing checkpoint inhibitor class of approved medicines.
Takeda signed the research collaboration agreement with Nektar
Therapeutics through its wholly-owned subsidiary, Millennium
Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
About Nektar Therapeutics
Nektar Therapeutics is a research-based development stage
biopharmaceutical company whose mission is to discover and develop
innovative medicines to address the unmet medical needs of
patients. Our R&D pipeline of new investigational medicines
includes treatments for cancer, auto-immune disease and chronic
pain. We leverage Nektar's proprietary and proven chemistry
platform in the discovery and design of our new therapeutic
candidates. Nektar is headquartered in San Francisco,
California, with additional
operations in Huntsville, Alabama and Hyderabad,
India. Further information about
the company and its drug development programs and capabilities may
be found online at http://www.nektar.com.
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
Statements
This press release contains uncertain or forward-looking
statements which can be identified by words such as: "anticipate,"
"intend," "plan," "expect," "believe," "should," "may," "will" and
similar references to future periods. Examples of forward-looking
statements include, among others, statements we make regarding the
potential therapeutic potential of NKTR-214, the therapeutic
potential of NKTR-214 in combination with other drug compounds, the
timing and likelihood of advancement into the clinic for NKTR-214
in combination with other compounds, future clinical development
plans for NKTR-214, and the potential of our research and
development pipeline. Forward-looking statements are neither
historical facts nor assurances of future performance. Instead,
they are based only on our current beliefs, expectations and
assumptions and are subject to inherent uncertainties, risks and
changes in circumstances that are difficult to predict and many of
which are outside of our control. Our actual results may differ
materially from those indicated in the forward-looking statements
and you should not rely on such statements. Important factors that
could cause our actual results to differ materially from those
indicated in the forward-looking statements include: (i)
pre-clinical and clinical study outcomes remain very unpredictable
and it is possible that a study could fail; (ii) NKTR-214 is in
early-stage clinical development and there are substantial risks
that can unexpectedly occur for numerous reasons including negative
safety and efficacy findings; (iii) scientific discovery of new
medical breakthroughs is an inherently uncertain process and the
future success of applying NKTR-214 with new drug compounds is
uncertain and unpredictable and one or more development programs
may fail; (iv) our drug candidates and those of our collaboration
partners are in various stages of clinical development and the risk
of failure is high and can unexpectedly occur at any stage prior to
regulatory approval for numerous reasons including negative safety
and efficacy findings even after positive findings in previous
preclinical and clinical studies; (v) the commencement or end
of studies and the availability of study data may be delayed
or unsuccessful; (vi) patents may not issue from our patent
applications for our drug candidates, patents that have issued may
not be enforceable, or additional intellectual property licenses
from third parties may be required; and (vii) certain other
important risks and uncertainties set forth in our Annual Report on
Form 10-Q for the quarter ended March 31, 2017 filed with
the Securities and Exchange Commission on May 9,
2017. Any forward-looking statement made by us in this press
release is based only on information currently available to us and
speaks only as of the date on which it is made. We undertake no
obligation to update any forward-looking statement.
Contacts:
For Investors:
Jennifer Ruddock of Nektar Therapeutics
415-482-5585
For Media:
Dan Budwick
1AB Media
973.271.6085
1.
Charych, D., et al., Cancer Res. 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr
482 and Data on file.
2. Hoch U,
at al. AACR; Mol Cancer Ther. 2013;12(11 Suppl):Abstract nr
B296.
3. Diab et. al., SITC
2016.
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SOURCE Nektar Therapeutics