Cancer Research UK to fund exploratory development of BT7401 through
a Phase IIa clinical study
LONDON & CAMBRIDGE, England & BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan. 7, 2020--
Bicycle
Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ: BCYC), a biotechnology company pioneering
a new and differentiated class of therapeutics based on its proprietary
bicyclic peptide (Bicycle®) technology, today announced a second
collaboration with Cancer Research UK, the world’s largest independent
funder of cancer research, in which Cancer Research UK will fund and
sponsor development of BT7401, a multivalent Bicycle CD137
agonist, through a Phase IIa clinical study.
“The modular nature of the Bicycle platform enables a number of
opportunities to generate new therapeutics that could address unmet need
in oncology and other serious diseases,” said Kevin Lee, Ph.D., Chief
Executive Officer of Bicycle. “This new collaboration marks yet another
initiative designed to help us bring a potentially important Bicycle-based
therapy to patients more efficiently. We are excited to extend our
relationship with Cancer Research UK by collaborating with them on
BT7401. Cancer Research UK is a partner of choice, with a broad network
of collaborators and extensive expertise in cancer treatment. Through
our collaboration, we believe we will be able to characterize the
biologic and therapeutic profile of BT7401, which we’re pleased to add
to our growing portfolio of novel immuno-oncology assets.”
Dr. Nigel Blackburn, Cancer Research UK's director of drug development,
said: "We’re delighted to be partnering again with Bicycle, building on
our continuing relationship. Based on the preclinical data, we believe
that BT7401 could offer improved anti-tumor activity with fewer side
effects compared with antibody-based approaches, which so far have been
limited by toxicity.”
Dr. Blackburn continued: “Looking to the future, we believe BT7401 has
the potential to open up new treatment options for the large numbers of
patients who stop responding to checkpoint inhibitors, and we look
forward to working with Bicycle in this new endeavor.”
BT7401 is a chemically synthesized, multivalent small molecule agonist
of CD137, comprised of Bicycles connected by stable linkers
through a central hinge. Though prior programs using antibodies to
agonize CD137 have demonstrated robust and durable anti-tumor effects,
they have been limited by severe hepatotoxicity observed in clinical
trials. Preliminary toxicology studies suggest BT7401 may circumvent
this limitation. In addition, BT7401 has shown significant pharmacologic
activity in preclinical models. These findings indicate that BT7401 may
offer an improved therapeutic index compared to that of antibody-based
approaches.
Under the terms of the Clinical Development Partnerships agreement,
Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development will fund and sponsor
development of BT7401 from current preclinical studies through the
completion of a Phase IIa trial. Bicycle retains the right to advance
the BT7401 program further, at which point an undisclosed payment split
between cash and equity, success-based milestones and royalty payments
would be made to Cancer Research UK.
About Bicycle Therapeutics
Bicycle Therapeutics (NASDAQ: BCYC) is a clinical-stage
biopharmaceutical company developing a novel class of medicines,
referred to as Bicycles®, for diseases that are underserved by
existing therapeutics. Bicycles are fully synthetic short
peptides constrained with small molecule scaffolds to form two loops
that stabilize their structural geometry. This constraint facilitates
target binding with high affinity and selectivity, making Bicycles
attractive candidates for drug development. Bicycle’s lead product
candidate, BT1718, a Bicycle Toxin Conjugate (BTC) that targets
MT1-MMP, is being investigated in an ongoing Phase I/IIa clinical trial
in collaboration with the Centre for Drug Development of Cancer Research
UK. Bicycle is also evaluating BT5528, a second-generation BTC targeting
EphA2, in a Company-sponsored Phase I/II study. Bicycle is headquartered
in Cambridge, UK with many key functions and members of its leadership
team located in Lexington, MA. For more information, visit bicycletherapeutics.com.
About Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development
Cancer Research UK has an impressive record of developing novel
treatments for cancer. The Cancer Research UK Centre for Drug
Development has been pioneering the development of new cancer treatments
for 25 years, taking over 140 potential new anti-cancer agents into
clinical trials in patients. It currently has a portfolio of 21 new
anti-cancer agents in preclinical development, Phase I or early Phase II
clinical trials. Six of these new agents have made it to market
including temozolomide for brain cancer, abiraterone for prostate cancer
and rucaparib for ovarian cancer. Two other drugs are in late
development Phase III trials.
About Cancer Research UK’s Commercial Partnerships Team
Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to
saving lives through research. Cancer Research UK’s specialist
Commercial Partnerships Team works closely with leading international
cancer scientists and their institutes to protect intellectual property
arising from their research and to establish links with commercial
partners. Cancer Research UK’s commercial activity operates through
Cancer Research Technology Ltd., a wholly owned subsidiary of Cancer
Research UK. It is the legal entity which pursues drug discovery
research in themed alliance partnerships and delivers varied commercial
partnering arrangements.
About Cancer Research UK
-
Cancer Research UK is the world’s leading cancer charity dedicated to
saving lives through research.
-
Cancer Research UK’s pioneering work into the prevention, diagnosis
and treatment of cancer has helped save millions of lives.
-
Cancer Research UK receives no funding from the UK government for its
life-saving research. Every step it makes towards beating cancer
relies on vital donations from the public.
-
Cancer Research UK has been at the heart of the progress that has
already seen survival in the UK double in the last 40 years.
-
Today, 2 in 4 people survive their cancer for at least 10 years.
Cancer Research UK’s ambition is to accelerate progress so that by
2034, 3 in 4 people will survive their cancer for at least 10 years.
-
Cancer Research UK supports research into all aspects of cancer
through the work of over 4,000 scientists, doctors and nurses.
-
Together with its partners and supporters, Cancer Research UK's vision
is to bring forward the day when all cancers are cured.
For further information about Cancer Research UK visit www.cancerresearchuk.org.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release may contain forward-looking statements made pursuant
to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation
Reform Act of 1995. These statements may be identified by words such as
“aims,” “anticipates,” “believes,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,”
“forecasts”, “goal,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “possible,” “potential,”
“seeks,” “will” and variations of these words or similar expressions
that are intended to identify forward-looking statements, although not
all forward-looking statements contain these words. Forward-looking
statements in this press release include, but are not limited to,
statements regarding our collaboration with Cancer Research UK; the
discovery of potential product candidates using our technology; the
anticipated clinical advancement of BT7401; the possible results of
clinical trials; the therapeutic potential of BT7401; and the
development of potential product candidates. Bicycle may not actually
achieve the plans, intentions or expectations disclosed in these
forward-looking statements, and you should not place undue reliance on
these forward-looking statements. Actual results or events could differ
materially from the plans, intentions and expectations disclosed in
these forward-looking statements as a result of various factors,
including: the risk that we may not realize the intended benefits of our
technology, including that we may not identify and develop additional
product candidates; the risk that we may not be able to maintain
existing collaborations and realize the benefits thereof or develop new
relationships; uncertainties inherent in the initiation and completion
of preclinical studies and clinical trials and clinical development of
Bicycle’s product candidates; availability and timing of results from
preclinical studies and clinical trials; whether the outcomes of
preclinical studies will be predictive of clinical trial; the risk that
trials and studies may be delayed and may not have satisfactory
outcomes; potential adverse effects arising from the testing or use of
BT7401 or other product candidates; expectations for regulatory
approvals to conduct trials or to market product; and other important
factors and other important factors, any of which could cause our actual
results to differ from those contained in the forward-looking
statements, are described in greater detail in the section entitled
“Risk Factors” in our Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q filed with the
Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on November 7, 2019, as well as
in other filings Bicycle may make with the SEC in the future. Any
forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as
of the date hereof, and Bicycle expressly disclaims any obligation to
update any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a
result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or
otherwise, except as otherwise required by law.
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Source: Bicycle Therapeutics
Investor and Media Contact
Bicycle Therapeutics
Maren
Killackey
maren.killackey@bicycletx.com
+1-617-203-8300