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CRT licenses colorectal cancer risk technolgy

On July 31, 2007 Cancer Research Technology Limited (CRT), the oncology-focused development and commercialisation company, reported that it has agreed a non-exclusive licence with ArcticDx Inc. for the development of a Colo Risk test to help health professionals determine an individual’s predisposition to developing colorectal cancer (Press release, Cancer Research Technology, JUL 31, 2007, View Source [SID1234523387]).

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The agreement allows for some results from Cancer Research UK funded genome-wide association studies* to be integrated into the risk assessment technology. It is hoped this Colo Risk technology – which is currently in development – will prove effective in assessing people who may be at higher risk of developing bowel cancer so they can receive tailor-made screening and lifestyle advice.

The technology will be based on recent genome-wide association studies which were the first to identify a number of common ‘genetic variants’ that increase bowel cancer risk. These are known as single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). SNPs appear more frequently in the DNA of people who have developed bowel cancer than of those free from, or at low risk, of developing the disease.

Greg Hines, chief executive officer of ArcticDx Inc. said: "With eight years expertise in the field of in vitro diagnostics development, we’re well placed to take forward these findings and combine them with work we have already done to process information on other risk factors such as age and body mass index which we know also contribute to increased risk of developing the disease. This saliva-based test will be commercially available by the end of this year."

As part of this licensing deal, CRT will receive an upfront payment as well as royalties on any sales.

Dr Phil L’Huillier, CRT’s director of business management, said: "We are committed to ensuring that the most promising findings in the field of cancer research are developed into technology that can be used to fight cancer. This licence agreement with ArcticDx Inc. incorporates important genetic findings into potentially workable technology which could help identify and manage people at higher risk of bowel cancer – it’s an exciting development."

CRT licenses novel toll-like receptor agents to Innate Pharma

On June 20, 2007 Innate Pharma S.A., a biopharmaceutical company developing new drug classes targeting innate immunity, reported it has entered into a in-licensing agreement with Cancer Research Technology Limited (CRT), the oncology-focused development and commercialisation company, on novel Toll like receptor (TLR) agents (Press release, Cancer Research Technology, JUN 20, 2007, View Source [SID1234523388]).

The agreement grants Innate Pharma exclusive and worldwide development and commercialisation rights to a panel of discovery stage toll-like receptor 7 (TLR7) modulators to which CRT has exclusive intellectual property rights. At Innate Pharma, the new project will be known as IPH 32XX.

Agents that modulate TLR7 have significant potential for anti-tumour therapy and for the treatment of autoimmune and infectious diseases. Toll-like receptors are found on cells of the immune system and usually play a role in recognising invading pathogens. In cancer therapy, TLR modulators can be used to stimulate the immune system to attack tumours by generating an influx of cancer-killing NK and T cells and the release of inflammatory mediators.

The TLR7 modulators were originally developed by Cancer Research UK-funded studies led by Dr Caetano Reis e Sousa and Dr Sandra Diebold at Cancer Research UK’s London Research Institute. Innate Pharma will support a further programme of pre-clinical research into the agents in Dr Diebold’s laboratory at King’s College London.

CRT will receive an upfront payment, as well as development-based milestones and royalty payments on sales. Financial terms of the transaction were not disclosed.

Commenting on today’s announcement, Dr Phil L’Huillier, CRT’s Director of Business Management said: "TLR7-targeting agents have great potential as cancer therapeutics. We’re delighted that Innate Pharma will be supporting the next steps towards hopefully realising that potential."

François Romagné, Innate Pharma’s EVP and CSO, said: "We now have two active TLR programs (IPH 31XX, a TLR3 agonist, and IPH 32XX, a TLR7 agonist) that have similar chemistry and that will use the same pharmacological/development platform. In addition, we have a new active collaboration with two leading research institutes that will help us to develop new TLR tools and expertise. Our ambition to become a significant player in the field of TLR pharmacology is materializing."

Hervé Brailly, Innate Pharma’s CEO and Chairman of the Executive Board, added: "Consolidating our existing platforms of products by adding new programs from acquisition or in-licensing is part of our business strategy." He added: "This new acquisition is not going to dramatically change our cash horizon, which was 3 to 4 years of cash on hand at the end of 2006."

Exegenics Changes Name to OPKO Health and Receives Approval for Its Shares to Trade on the American Stock Exchange Under the Symbol OPK

On June 8, 2007 eXegenics, Inc. (OTC BB: EXEG) reported that it has completed its name change to Opko Health Inc (Press release, Opko Health, JUN 8, 2007, View Source [SID:1234510719]). The company also announced its common stock has been approved for listing on the American Stock Exchange (AMEX). Opko’s stock is expected to begin trading on the AMEX exchange under the ticker symbol OPK on Monday, June 11, 2007.

"Now that we are officially Opko Health, it is fitting that our shares have been approved for listing on the American Stock Exchange," said Dr. Philip Frost, chairman and CEO of Opko Health, Inc. "The improved visibility and liquidity available to us as an AMEX-listed company should contribute to our efforts to advance our ophthalmic businesses and build shareholder value."

This approval is contingent upon Opko being in compliance with all applicable listing standards on the date it begins trading on the Exchange, and may be rescinded if the company is not in compliance with such standards.

CRT licenses therapeutic antibodies to Peptech

On May 2, 2007 Cancer Research Technology Limited (CRT), the oncology-focused development and commercialisation company, reported it has licensed rights to a panel of cancer therapeutic antibodies to Peptech Limited (ASX:PTD) (Press release, Cancer Research Technology, MAY 2, 2007, View Source [SID1234523389]).

CRT has granted Peptech an exclusive worldwide licence to a panel of cancer therapeutic antibodies for therapeutic, vaccine and in vitro diagnostic use. The antibodies were originally licensed by CRT to UK biotechnology company Scancell Limited (Scancell), who selected two preclinical lead antibodies, SC101 and SC104 for development in colorectal cancer. Peptech has acquired the entire panel of cancer therapeutic antibodies and the intellectual property relating to these programmes from both Scancell and CRT. Scancell is now using the revenue to progress its novel cancer vaccine platform that it co-developed with CRT.

The panel of antibodies was originally developed by Cancer Research UK-funded studies led by Professor Lindy Durrant at the University of Nottingham and targets antigens that are over-expressed on a variety of tumours. SC101 is a mouse monoclonal antibody recognising Lewis y/b. Unlike other known Lewis y/b antibodies, SC101 binds to both haptens on a range of solid tumours and, unusually, does not bind to normal gastrointestinal tract. The antibody has been shown to induce death in tumour cells that over-express Lewis y/b without the need of immune effector cells in vitro. The same cell model has also been used to demonstrate that SC101 inhibits the growth of human colon tumour xenografts and enhances 5-Fluorouracil (5-FU)/leucovorin killing.

SC104 is a novel mouse monoclonal antibody that recognises a cell surface antigen expressed by 90% of colorectal tumours at all clinical stages. It was generated against 4 different colorectal tumour cell lines and antigen characterisation has shown that the antibody recognises an as yet unknown sialyltetraosylceramide. SC104 directly induces tumour-specific cell death without the need for immune effector cells by induction of caspase-mediated apoptosis. The SC104 antibody also kills synergistically with 5FU/leucovorin both in vitro and in vivo.

Financial details of CRT’s agreement with Peptech were not disclosed, but CRT will receive development-based milestones and royalty payments on sales.

New CEO to spearhead laboratory expansion at CRT

On April 2, 2007 Cancer Research Technology Ltd. (CRT), reported Dr Keith Blundy as its new chief executive officer (Press release, Cancer Research Technology, APR 2, 2007, View Source [SID1234523390]).

Dr Blundy will lead ambitious new plans to double the number of scientists employed within CRT’s development laboratories, consolidating the company’s leading global position in translational drug discovery and biotherapeutic development.

Dr Blundy, 46, joined CRT – Cancer Research UK’s development and commercialisation company – in 1998 and has been the company’s chief operating officer since November 2003. He takes up the new position with immediate effect.

He will oversee an expansion of CRT’s drug discovery and biotherapeutic development teams, which are staffed by scientists drawn from academia and industry. The expanded facilities will enable increased activities not only with Cancer Research UK scientists, but also with leading cancer research institutes worldwide.

Prominent in these collaborations will be CRT Inc. – the company’s US subsidiary – and the new Cooperative Research Centre for Cancer Therapeutics (CRC-CT) in Australia.

Dr Melanie Lee, chairman of CRT, said: "Keith has been integral to many significant developments at CRT – he is chairman of our US subsidiary and led the establishment of our new presence in Australia. He has the skills required to lead our ambitious plans for the future and I’m delighted to welcome him to his new position."

Harpal Kumar, Cancer Research UK’s new chief executive and former CEO of CRT, said: "Cancer Research UK is proud to have created and developed such a world-leading technology transfer company. Bringing potential new treatments out of the laboratory to patients is a major priority for the charity, so we see CRT’s expansion as a major step forward towards our vision to beat cancer."

Before joining CRT, Dr Blundy worked in agricultural biotechnology for ten years.

He holds a BSc in Genetics from Leeds University and a PhD from the John Innes Institute. He undertook postdoctoral research in the US as a Fulbright Scholar and has an MBA from London Business School.

At CRT Dr Blundy has been involved in a number of high profile transactions, including the licensing of a programme targeting Hsp90 to Vernalis (now partnered with Novartis and due to enter clinical trials). Dr Blundy has been a director of KuDOS Pharmaceuticals and drove the formation of Chroma Therapeutics.

Dr Blundy said: "This is an extremely exciting period of growth for CRT. Our plans will redefine traditional models of technology transfer."

"The expansion will make us better equipped to meet the diverse demands of our academic collaborators around the world. It will also create many new licensing opportunities with which we can target the pipeline gaps of leading biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies."

"Patient benefit is at the heart of all these developments and I am proud to have the opportunity to lead them".

The expansion from around 45 to 90 scientists will be phased, and will first focus on the current facilities at the Wolfson Institute for Biomedical Research at University College London. The expansion incorporates plans to bring CRT’s expertise to Cancer Research UK institutes in Cambridge, Manchester and Glasgow, integrating CRT drug discovery activity with the charity’s basic research. (Press release, Cancer Research Technology, APR 2, 2007, View Source [SID1234523390])