Molecular Partners AG (SIX: MOLN; NASDAQ: MOLN), a
clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of
custom-built protein drugs known as DARPin therapeutics
("Molecular Partners" or the "Company"), today announces new
data from its Radio-DARPin Therapy (RDT) platform pertaining to
potential efficacy of the approach and building on prior
engineering achievements that boosted its renal safety profile.
These data will be presented at the European Association of Nuclear
Medicine (EANM) Annual Meeting, held September 9–13 in Vienna,
Austria and can be accessed here.
The data show the ability of Molecular Partners to substantially
increase tumor uptake of RDT candidates through an adjustment of
systemic half-life, achieved by binding to the common blood protein
serum albumin. These results build on preclinical data, previously
reported at AACR and SNNMI in 2023, demonstrating how DARPin
engineering can achieve a marked reduction of candidate
reabsorption by the kidney, addressing a key challenge for
protein-based radionuclide delivery vectors.
“We have previously discussed what is required for the
successful expansion of DARPins as a targeting moiety for
radiotherapy, including protection of kidneys, tumor accumulation,
and the ability to apply these learnings broadly across the
platform. With today’s data we show that tuning of half-life can
substantially impact the tumor uptake of our Radio DARPins,” said
Patrick Amstutz, Ph.D., CEO of Molecular Partners. “Importantly, we
are highly encouraged by the data showing that these techniques can
be applied across the platform and utilized as we explore multiple
targets in the field, including novel targets potentially less
amenable to other approaches.”
In summary, the presented results highlight that a desirable
tumor to kidney ratio can be achieved for RDTs while also keeping
circulating blood levels low to further support a robust
efficacy-to-safety profile. The engineering solutions applied to
optimize the properties of the RDT platform are transferrable to
different tumor-associated antigens. These results present a unique
opportunity to explore new targets of interest and thereby
potentially further expand the target space for radioligand
therapy.
Molecular Partners continues to progress its RDT platform and
portfolio of projects, both in-house and in partnership with
Novartis. The tumor-associated protein Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3)
has been selected as one of the first targets of Molecular
Partners’ proprietary RDT program.
The presentation details are as follows:
Title: DARPin platform for the development of
powerful targeting agents for radioligand
therapy Session Title: M2M Track - TROP
Session: New Therapeutic RadiopharmaceuticalsSession
Number: 1804Abstract Number:
OP-897 Session Location & Timing: Hall
E2; Sept 13, 2023; 9:45–11:15 am local
time (CEST)Order in Session:
3Presentation Time: 10:05–10:15 am local
time (CEST)
Authors &
Affiliations:
C. Lizak1, A. Bosshart1, S. Wullschleger1, M. Behe2, A. Blanc2,
S. Imobersteg2, A. Constantinescu1, J. Blunschi1, L. Abduli1, S.
Schütz1, J. Wolter1, Z. Ziauddin Siddiqui1, M. Matzner1, A. Auge1,
N. Fic1, W. Ali Abobaker Hassan1, T. Chiorazzo2, C. Reichen1, A.
Croset1, A. Villa1, P. Legenne1, A. Goubier1, R. Schibli2, D.
Steiner1; 1Molecular Partners AG, Schlieren-Zurich, Switzerland;
2Paul Scherrer Institute, Villingen, Switzerland
About DARPin Therapeutics
DARPin therapeutics are a new class of custom-built protein
therapeutics based on natural binding proteins that open a new
dimension of multi-functionality and multi-target specificity in
drug design. A single DARPin candidate can engage more than five
targets, and its flexible architecture and small size offer
benefits over other currently available protein therapeutics.
DARPin therapeutics have been clinically validated through to
registration via the development of abicipar, Molecular Partners’
most advanced DARPin drug candidate. The DARPin platform is a fast
and cost-effective drug discovery engine, producing drug candidates
with optimized properties for development and very high production
yields.
About Molecular Partners AG Molecular
Partners AG is a clinical-stage biotech company developing DARPin
(designed ankyrin repeat protein) therapeutics, a new class of
custom-built protein drugs designed to address challenges current
modalities cannot. The Company has formed partnerships with leading
pharmaceutical companies to advance DARPin therapeutics in the
areas of oncology and virology and has compounds in various stages
of clinical and preclinical development across multiple therapeutic
areas. www.molecularpartners.com; Find us on Twitter
- @MolecularPrtnrs
Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking
StatementsAny statements contained in this press release
that do not describe historical facts may constitute
forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including,
without limitation, implied and express statements regarding the
clinical development of Molecular Partners’ current or future
product candidates, expectations regarding timing for reporting
data from ongoing clinical trials or the initiation of future
clinical trials, the potential therapeutic and clinical benefits of
Molecular Partners’ product candidates, the selection and
development of future antiviral or other programs, and Molecular
Partners’ expected business and financial outlook, including
expenses and cash utilization for 2023 and its expectation of its
current cash runway. These statements may be identified by words
such as “believe”, “expect”, “may”, “plan”, “potential”, “will”,
“would” and similar expressions, and are based on Molecular
Partners’ current beliefs and expectations. These statements
involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to
differ materially from those reflected in such statements. Some of
the key factors that could cause actual results to differ from
Molecular Partners’ expectations include its plans to develop and
potentially commercialize its product candidates; Molecular
Partners’ reliance on third party partners and collaborators over
which it may not always have full control; Molecular Partners’
ongoing and planned clinical trials and preclinical studies for its
product candidates, including the timing of such trials and
studies; the risk that the results of preclinical studies and
clinical trials may not be predictive of future results in
connection with future clinical trials; the timing of and Molecular
Partners’ ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for
its product candidates; the extent of clinical trials potentially
required for Molecular Partners’ product candidates; the clinical
utility and ability to achieve market acceptance of Molecular
Partners’ product candidates; the impact of any health pandemic,
macroeconomic factors and other global events on Molecular
Partners’ preclinical studies, clinical trials or operations, or
the operations of third parties on which it relies; Molecular
Partners’ plans and development of any new indications for its
product candidates; Molecular Partners’ commercialization,
marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy; Molecular
Partners’ intellectual property position; Molecular Partners’
ability to identify and in-license additional product candidates;
and other risks and uncertainties that are described in the Risk
Factors section of Molecular Partners’ Annual Report on Form 20-F
for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, filed with Securities
and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 9, 2023 and other filings
Molecular Partners makes with the SEC. These documents are
available on the Investors page of Molecular Partners’ website at
www.molecularpartners.com. Any forward-looking statements speak
only as of the date of this press release and are based on
information available to Molecular Partners as of the date of this
release, and Molecular Partners assumes no obligation to, and does
not intend to, update any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise.
For further details, please contact:Seth Lewis,
SVP Investor Relations & StrategyConcord, Massachusetts,
U.S.seth.lewis@molecularpartners.comTel: +1 781 420 2361
Antonio Ligi, Head of CommunicationsZurich-Schlieren,
Switzerlandantonio.ligi@molecularpartners.comTel: +41 44 755 57
53
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