French Big Pharma Sanofi, looking to bolster its cancer R&D, has penned a new pact with Alphamab Oncology that focuses on HER2-positive breast cancer.
The Chinese biotech, part of Jiangsu Alphamab Biopharmaceuticals, will work with Sanofi on studies for midstage med KN026 in combination with chemo agent Taxotere (docetaxel) in HER2-positive breast cancer. Patient enrollment has already started for the initial open-label study, Alphamab said in a statement.
As part of the deal, financials of which were not disclosed, Sanofi has nabbed an exclusivity period to “negotiate the in-licensing of KN026 subject to the achievement of certain clinical milestones.”
KN026 works as an anti-HER2 bispecific antibody that can simultaneously bind two non-overlapping epitopes of HER2 and lead to a dual HER2 signal blockade.
Current clinicals trials have focused on late-stage breast cancer patients who have failed a series of treatments in China, but the future will be targeting combination therapies in front-line settings, the pair said in a statement.
Ting Xu, Ph.D., founder, chairman and CEO of Alphamab Oncology, said: “KN026 is a core candidate of our innovative bispecific antibody pipeline, and has shown convincing advantages in safety and efficacy from current clinical studies. There are significant unmet need for the treatment of HER2-positive breast cancer. We hope, through the collaboration with Sanofi, a global biopharmaceutical leader, to further drive KN026's China and global development strategy, to provide a superior therapeutic solution to Her-2 positive patients.”
The biotech is working on a series of cancer meds, including PD-L1 and PD-L1/CTLA-4 antibodies, and got off a $60 million series C last spring before late last year nabbing an IPO on the Hong Kong Exchange last year worth $230 million (HK$1.83 billion) as it looks to build out a commercial strategy for its PD-L1 hopeful.
Pius Hornstein, Ph.D., general manager and country lead, Sanofi China, added: “Building on Sanofi's heritage in oncology, we see a significant opportunity to impact the health of breast cancer patients by partnering with Alphamab, a biopharmaceutical leader in China. This strategic partnership also demonstrates Sanofi's ambition to play a more active role in the Chinese healthcare ecosystem, offering more new treatments for the large Chinese population with joint efforts from other leading companies.”
Last summer, Sanofi slashed 466 jobs in France and Germany as part of the reorganization of its R&D group. The job losses formed part of its pivot away from cardiovascular diseases and toward immuno-oncology drugs and gene therapies.