Samsung Bioepis said on the 21st that it signed a joint research partnership agreement with Chinese biotech company Phrontline Biopharma for the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) candidates.
An ADC is a treatment technology that attaches a drug to an antibody to deliver it precisely to cancer cells only. Because it reduces harm to normal cells while maximizing the therapeutic effect, it is called a "guided missile that targets cancer cells."
An ADC consists of an antibody that homes in on cancer cells, a drug called a payload that kills cancer cells, and a linker that connects them. Phrontline in China is developing bispecific and dual-payload technology, regarded as a promising ADC platform.
Under the agreement, Samsung Bioepis secured joint development rights to two of Phrontline's pipeline candidates. Separately, it also obtained an exclusive license to apply one payload to other Samsung Bioepis development programs.
The pipeline confirmed for joint development is TJ108. It is a therapy based on a "topoisomerase-1 inhibitor," which blocks enzymes needed for cancer cell division and growth, and a "tubulin inhibitor," which blocks proteins involved in cancer cell division and migration to hinder division and migration. It targets both EGFR (epidermal growth factor receptor), which is overexpressed in various cancers, and HER3 (human epidermal growth factor receptor 3).
Samsung Bioepis plans to pay an upfront payment and milestones to Phrontline under the agreement. The companies did not disclose the specifics or size by mutual consent. The company said follow-up development pipelines will be identified through future consultations.
Kim Kyung-ah, president of Samsung Bioepis, said, "We look forward to collaborating with Phrontline, which has differentiated ADC technology targeting various indications," adding, "We will continue to seek new business opportunities to address patients' unmet needs."
Zhaoyuan Qian, head of Phrontline, said, "This partnership will accelerate Phrontline's vision to establish bispecific, dual-payload ADCs as next-generation anticancer therapies," and noted, "We will work to overcome the limitations of single-payload, single-target ADCs."