ITM Obtains Exclusive Worldwide License from Debiopharm for CA IX-Targeted Peptide-based Radiopharmaceutical Programs Targeting Solid Tumors
September 12 2024 - 5:00AM
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ITM gains exclusive global development and commercialization rights
to Debiopharm’s first-in-class, peptide-based theranostic pair
which combines therapeutic compound, Debio 0228
([177Lu]Lu-DPI-4452) and diagnostic imaging agent, Debio 0328
([68Ga]Ga-DPI-4452) to target Carbonic Anhydrase IX (CA IX)
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Debiopharm to receive upfront, development and regulatory milestone
payments of approximately €300 million, as well as commercial
milestones and low double-digit royalties on potential future
sales
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Debio 0228/0328 is currently being evaluated in the phase 1/2
GaLuCi™ clinical trial as a theranostic pair for Clear Cell Renal
Cell Carcinoma (ccRCC), Pancreatic Ductal Adenocarcinoma (PDAC) and
Colorectal Cancer (CRC)
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ITM aims to rapidly advance the program through clinical evaluation
in-line with strategy to expand radiopharmaceutical pipeline
Garching / Munich, Germany, and
Lausanne, Switzerland – September 12th, 2024 – ITM Isotope
Technologies Munich SE (ITM), a leading radiopharmaceutical biotech
company and Debiopharm (www.debiopharm.com), a Swiss-based,
global biopharmaceutical company, aiming to establish tomorrow’s
standard-of-care to cure cancer and infectious diseases, today
announced that the companies entered an agreement under which ITM
gains the exclusive global license for the clinical and commercial
development of the peptide-based, theranostic pair ITM-91/ITM-94D,
formerly Debio 0228/0328, targeting the Carbonic Anhydrase IX (CA
IX) surface protein. CA IX plays a key role in the tumor
microenvironment, promoting tumor growth, survival, invasion and
metastasis. ITM-91 (Debio 0228) ([177Lu]Lu-DPI-4452) is a
Lutetium-177-labeled radioligand therapeutic compound and ITM-94D
(Debio 0328) ([68Ga]Ga-DPI-4452) is a Gallium-68-labeled imaging
agent. The theranostic pair is being investigated in the phase 1/2
GaLuCi™(NCT05706129) clinical trial in patients living with locally
advanced ccRCC, PDAC and CRC. Further terms and financial details
have not been disclosed.
“Obtaining this clinical-stage theranostic
pairing significantly bolsters our radiopharmaceutical pipeline and
reinforces our commitment to delivering life-changing diagnostic
and therapeutic agents to patients. Adding a clinical stage
theranostic pair that targets the critical CA IX protein aligns
seamlessly with our mission to expand access to innovative
radiopharmaceuticals on a global scale,” said Dr.
Andrew Cavey, CEO of ITM. “We see great potential
for CA IX-targeted radiopharmaceutical therapies. We look forward
to advancing the GaLuCi™ trial and to building the optimal clinical
strategy for this molecule.” “Curing patients is our mission.
Through this agreement with ITM, we hope to bring breakthrough
solutions to patients living with hard-to-treat cancer types. We’re
extremely pleased that the trial data generated to-date for our
imaging radiotracer have provided high-quality images with high
tumor uptake and excellent tumor-to-background ratios. Debio 0328’s
outstanding potential as a stand-alone imaging agent has also
boosted our confidence for the upcoming evaluation of Debio 0228,
the therapeutic agent. As development continues, we are grateful to
be able to rely on ITM’s radiopharmaceutical expertise to advance
research for patients,” said Bertrand Ducrey, CEO of
Debiopharm.
Debiopharm is a drug development expert with an
evolving radioligand therapy pipeline and strong pre-clinical and
clinical competence in this field. Their unique business model
allows Debiopharm to continuously bridge the gap between innovative
discoveries and leading pharmaceutical companies for
commercialization. As the globally leading manufacturer of n.c.a.
Lutetium-177 and with a broad pipeline of radiopharmaceutical
diagnostic and therapeutic candidates, ITM will use its production
capabilities and clinical expertise to advance this theranostic
pair.
“Patients with advanced renal cancer often have
a long and difficult journey, with recurrence after surgery not
infrequent and limited treatment options following immune-oncology
or tyrosine kinase inhibitor therapy. I have high hopes for trials
like GaLuCi™ will finally shift the odds defining both a new PET/CT
scan and targeted treatment option,” said Prof. Michael
Hofman, Peter MacCallum Cancer of Melbourne and investigator of the
Phase 1/2 GaLuCi™ study.
“Theranostic approaches are a very exciting
treatment modality for patients with hard-to-treat malignancies due
to their potential to target specific surface proteins, often
regardless of tumor origin. This technique has been shown to
improve outcomes for patients with advanced-staged prostate cancer
and we are hoping to bring it to the forefront of treatment for
kidney cancer,” added Darren R. Feldman, MD, Medical
Oncologist, Genitourinary Oncology Service at Memorial Sloan
Kettering Cancer Center and investigator of the Phase 1/2 GaLuCi™
study.
About ITM-91/ ITM-94D
(Debio 0228/0328)ITM-91/ ITM-94D (Debio 0228/0328) is an
investigational theranostic pair originally discovered by 3B
Pharmaceuticals GmbH and now exclusively licensed to ITM. ITM-94D
(Debio 0328) ([68Ga]Ga-DPI-4452) is a PET imaging agent that may be
used independently and is designed to identify patients whose
cancers overexpress CA IX. Once identified, these patients may be
treated with the lutetium-labelled radioligand, ITM-91 (Debio 0228)
([177Lu]Lu-DPI-4452), which is designed to deliver targeted
radiation to the tumor with the aim to destroy it from the
inside.
About the GaLuCi™ trial
The GaLuCi™ trial is the first-in-human, multicenter,
non-randomized phase 1/2 clinical trial assessing safety and
tolerability, imaging characteristics, and the efficacy of the
theranostic pair ITM-91/ ITM-94D (Debio 0228/0328) in patients with
unresectable, locally advanced, or metastatic solid tumors. This
theranostic trial is being carried out in three stages. The ongoing
Part A is evaluating the safety and performance of the imaging
agent in detecting CA IX-expressing solid tumors. Part B will
assess escalating doses of the therapeutic agent, ITM-91 (Debio
0228) in patients, whose tumors show high uptake of imaging tracer.
Finally, based on the recommended dose from Part B, Part C of the
study will further assess the safety and preliminary efficacy of
ITM-91 (Debio 0228) in ccRCC, PDAC and CRC.
About ITM Isotope Technologies Munich
SEITM, a leading radiopharmaceutical biotech company, is
dedicated to providing a new generation of radiomolecular precision
therapeutics and diagnostics for hard-to-treat tumors. We aim to
meet the needs of cancer patients, clinicians and our partners
through excellence in development, production and global supply.
With improved patient benefit as the driving principle for all we
do, ITM advances a broad precision oncology pipeline, including two
phase III studies, combining the company’s high-quality
radioisotopes with a range of targeting molecules. By leveraging
our nearly two decades of pioneering radiopharma expertise, central
industry position and established global network, ITM strives to
provide patients with more effective targeted treatment to improve
clinical outcome and quality of
life. www.itm-radiopharma.com
Debiopharm’s commitment to
patientsDebiopharm aims to develop innovative therapies
that target high unmet medical needs in oncology and bacterial
infections. Bridging the gap between disruptive discovery products
and real-world patient reach, we identify high-potential compounds
and technologies for in-licensing, clinically demonstrate their
safety and efficacy, and then select large pharmaceutical
commercialization partners to maximize patient access globally. For
more information, please visit www.debiopharm.com We are on X.
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ITM ContactCorporate
CommunicationsKathleen Noonan/Julia WestermeirPhone: +49
89 329 8986 1500Email: communications@itm-radiopharma.com
Investor RelationsBen
OrzelekPhone: +49 89 329 8986
1009Email: investors@itm-radiopharma.com
Debiopharm Contact Dawn Bonine – Head of
Communicationsdawn.bonine@debiopharm.comTel: +41 (0)21 321 01
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