New GSK partnership. Mersana Therapeutics Annou
Post# of 148126
Mersana Therapeutics Announces Option Agreement with GSK for the Co-Development and Commercialization of XMT-2056, an Immunosynthen ADC Targeting HER2
August 08, 2022 16:02 ET | Source: Mersana Therapeutics, Inc.
*GSK receives exclusive global license option for XMT-2056
*Mersana to receive $100 million upfront option purchase fee
*If GSK exercises its option, Mersana to receive exercise payment; potential for additional development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments, plus tiered double-digit royalties on net sales
*Mersana to co-develop XMT-2056; retains options for U.S. profit-sharing and U.S. co-promotion
Conference call today at 4:30 p.m. ET
CAMBRIDGE, Mass., Aug. 08, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Mersana Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: MRSN), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing a pipeline of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting cancers in areas of high unmet medical need, today announced a global collaboration that provides GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) an exclusive option to co-develop and commercialize XMT-2056, an Immunosynthen ADC that targets a novel epitope of HER2. XMT-2056 is designed to activate the innate immune system through STING signaling in both tumor-resident immune cells and in tumor cells.
“GSK brings highly complementary development and commercial capabilities, a wealth of immuno-oncology experience, a deep knowledge of the STING pathway and a shared vision for XMT-2056’s broad potential,” said Anna Protopapas, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mersana Therapeutics. “We believe this agreement solidifies Mersana’s position as a partner of choice during this momentous period in the ADC space and serves as validation for our Immunosynthen platform, which takes ADCs beyond the cytotoxic realm by enabling a targeted stimulation of the innate immune system. Additionally, the agreement structure demonstrates our ability to generate meaningful non-dilutive capital upfront to support the development of our innovative candidates while also providing the potential for meaningful downstream economics.”
In preclinical models, XMT-2056 demonstrated robust anti-tumor activity as a monotherapy in both HER2-high and HER2-low expressing models, and enhanced efficacy has been shown when used in combination with multiple approved agents, including trastuzumab, pertuzumab, anti-PD-1, or trastuzumab deruxtecan. Preclinical data also suggest that XMT-2056 has the potential to enable immunological memory for prolonged anti-tumor activity.
Mersana expects to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial of XMT-2056 to investigate its potential in a range of HER2-expressing tumors such as breast, gastric and non-small-cell lung cancers. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently granted an orphan drug designation to XMT-2056 for the treatment of gastric cancer.
(more) https://www.globenewswire.com/news-release/20...-HER2.html