[August 07, 2014] |
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Sym004 Advances into Two New Clinical Trials and Receives Milestone Payments
COPENHAGEN, Denmark --(Business Wire)--
Symphogen, a private biopharmaceutical company developing recombinant
antibody mixtures, announced today that its collaborative partner, Merck
KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, through its biopharmaceutical division, Merck
Serono has initiated two new clinical studies evaluating Sym004, an
investigational antibody mixture targeting the epidermal growth factor
receptor (EGFR). The trials are a Phase 2b study in patients with
metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) and a Phase 1b study in patients
with Non-Small Cell Lung Cancer (NSCLC). Symphogen also reports that it
is eligible to receive two milestone payments from Merck for achieving
certain agreed goals in the collaboration, related to the bi-weekly
dosing study and the mCRC study.
"There is a high unmet need for patients with EGFR-resistant mCRC and
NSCLC cancers as patients currently have limited therapeutic options,"
said Kirsten Drejer, Chief Executive Officer of Symphogen. "We are
pleased by the advancement of Sym004 into these new studies, ad the
Phase 1 dose-finding study in Japan of Sym004 that was initiated in late
2013, and we look forward to generating clinical data with this
compound."
Out-licensed worldwide by Symphogen to Merck in September 2012, Sym004
was the subject of data presentations at the 2013 and 2014 ASCO Annual
Meetings in Chicago, IL. At these meetings, Sym004 reported Phase 2
proof-of-concept data in squamous cell carcinoma of the head & neck
(SCCHN) and in metastatic colorectal cancer that signaled clinical
activity and were supportive of the proposed mechanism of action,
respectively.
About SYM004
Sym004 is comprised of two antibodies that are not only designed to
block ligand binding, receptor activation and downstream signaling but
are also thought to elicit removal of the EGFR receptors from the cancer
cell surface by inducing EGFR internalization and degradation
Sym004 was out-licensed to Merck KGaA in 2012 following phase 2 clinical
data in late stage cancer patients.
About Symphogen A/S
Symphogen is developing next-generation antibody therapeutics for the
treatment of cancer and is dedicated to bringing truly innovative
oncology products to the market. The company has advanced the frontier
of antibody discovery by creating well characterized antibody mixtures
that address multiple oncology targets in a single drug product. The
company has matured its pipeline and has currently brought two product
candidates into the clinic. The company's productive technology suite -
capable of identifying, selecting and manufacturing optimal antibody
mixtures - fuels Symphogen's innovative pipeline. In total, the company
has raised € 249 million in equity capital from premier international
investors including Novo, Essex Woodlands Health Ventures and PKA, and
employs 100 people, most of who are based at Symphogen's facilities in
Copenhagen.
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