In August 2015, AVEO announced an exclusive, worldwide license agreement with Novartis for the development and commercialization of AVEO’s first-in-class, potent, humanized inhibitory antibody targeting growth differentiation factor 15 (GDF15), AV-380, and related antibodies, including modified or derivative forms of any such antibody (Company Pipeline, AVEO, MAY 18, 2016, View Source [SID:1234512507]).

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GDF15 is a pro-inflammatory cytokine whose elevated circulating levels have been correlated with cachexia in cachectic cancer patients and several animal models of cancer cachexia. Current evidence suggests that a pro- inflammatory state may be responsible for many of the symptoms associated with cachexia, a complex metabolic syndrome characterized by malnutrition and severe involuntary weight loss due to the loss of muscle and fat tissue, as well as the clinical manifestation of anemia, inflammation and suppression of immune functions.

Preclinical data show that inhibition of GDF15 results in a switch from catabolism to anabolism, suggesting that GDF15 inhibition with AV-380 may reverse the effects of cachexia.

Cachexia is a serious and common complication in patients with advanced cancer and other chronic diseases. It affects some five million individuals in the United States.