On February 7, 2023 Ankyra Therapeutics, a biotech company developing targeted immune activating agents for the treatment of cancer, reported that is has entered into a strategic collaboration with the Lung Cancer Initiative (LCI) at Johnson & Johnson* (Press release, Ankyra Therapeutics, FEB 7, 2023, View Source [SID1234626947]). The collaboration will focus on the advancement of Ankyra’s lead product candidate, ANK-101, an IL-12-based locally administered immunotherapy, as a potential treatment for lung cancer. Ankyra is currently advancing ANK-101 through Investigational New Drug (IND) enabling studies for the treatment of solid tumors and plans to submit an IND to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in the third quarter of 2023.

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Under the terms of the agreement, Ankyra together with LCI scientists will evaluate ANK-101 in a Phase 1b clinical trial. Ankyra has received an upfront payment and is eligible for additional undisclosed clinical milestone payments.

"We are delighted to enter this collaboration in our mission to bring forward new, impactful treatments for cancer," said Howard Kaufman, M.D., president and chief executive officer. "We have designed our ANK-101 immunotherapy candidate to increase the therapeutic window of IL-12, a potent cytokine, while also aiming to ensure patient tolerability. Patients with lung cancer need new effective treatments with fewer side effects, and we hope to meet this need in the future."