Arix Bioscience
plc
Artios expands DNA damage
response pipeline with new asset
-
ATR inhibitor programme in-licensed
from MD Anderson and ShangPharma
-
Agreement includes exclusive rights
to research, develop, manufacture and commercialize products
globally
-
Strengthens Artios’ next generation DNA Damage
Response (DDR) pipeline and position as a leader in the DDR
space
LONDON, 06 November 2019: Arix Bioscience plc
(“Arix”, LSE: ARIX), a global venture capital company focused on
investing in and building breakthrough biotech companies, today
notes that its portfolio company Artios Pharma Ltd (“Artios”), has
announced an in-licensing agreement of a small-molecule ATR
inhibitor programme from The University of
Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (“MD Anderson”) and
ShangPharma Innovation (“ShangPharma”).
Jonathan Tobin, Ph.D.,
Investment Director of Arix and Artios board member,
commented:
“As early investors in Artios, we are pleased to see its
pipeline continue to grow and mature. The addition of the ATR
inhibitor expands the company’s portfolio of assets, which also
includes its first-in-class Pol Theta candidate, currently in IND
evaluation, and a large pipeline of novel nuclease targets. This
deal, coupled with Artios’ significant expertise in this field,
reinforces its position as the world leader in this exciting new
space in oncology.”
The announcement can be accessed on Artios’ website
https://www.artiospharma.com/news-events/ and the full text of the
announcement from Artios is contained below.
ENDS
Enquiries
For more information on Arix, please contact:
Arix Bioscience plc
Charlotte Parry, Head of Investor
Relations
Tel: +44 (0)20 7290 1072
charlotte@arixbioscience.com
Media Enquiries
Optimum Strategic Communications
Mary Clark/ Supriya Mathur
optimum.arix@optimumcomms.com
Tel: +44 (0) 203 950 9144
About Arix Bioscience plc
Arix Bioscience plc is a global venture capital company focused
on investing in and building breakthrough biotech companies around
cutting edge advances in life sciences.
We collaborate with exceptional entrepreneurs and provide the
capital, expertise and global networks to help accelerate their
ideas into important new treatments for patients. As a listed
company, we are able to bring this exciting growth phase of our
industry to a broader range of investors.
Arix Bioscience plc is listed on the Main Market of the London
Stock Exchange. For further information, please visit
www.arixbioscience.com
Artios Pharma, MD
Anderson and ShangPharma announce in-licensing agreement for DNA
damage response inhibitor
CAMBRIDGE, UK, NEW YORK, HOUSTON and SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO 06 November, 2019 — Artios Pharma
Limited (Artios), The University of
Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center (MD Anderson) and
ShangPharma Innovation (ShangPharma) today announce the
in-licensing by Artios of a small-molecule ATR inhibitor programme,
developed jointly by MD Anderson and ShangPharma.
Under the agreement, Artios has exclusive rights to research,
develop, manufacture and commercialize products globally. The lead
candidate is expected to be ready for Investigational New Drug
(IND) application by the second half of 2020.
“This programme has the potential to be a highly effective DNA
damage response (DDR) targeted treatment in cancer. We look forward
to advancing the work done by MD Anderson and ShangPharma for the
benefit of cancer patients,” said Dr. Niall Martin, Chief Executive Officer at Artios
Pharma. “The addition of the ATR programme further supports our
position as a leader in the DDR space and strengthens our growing
portfolio of assets, which includes a leading Pol Theta programme,
currently in candidate IND evaluation, and a large discovery stage
platform of novel DNA repair nuclease inhibitors.”
The ATR inhibitor programme is the result of an extensive
collaboration between MD Anderson’s Therapeutics Discovery team and
ShangPharma. Therapeutics Discovery is a multidisciplinary team
created within MD Anderson to advance the next generation of cancer
therapies to answer unmet oncology needs.
“Targeting DNA damage repair has the potential to provide an
important therapeutic option for many patients in need of new
treatments,” said Philip Jones,
Ph.D., vice president of Therapeutics Discovery at MD Anderson.
“We are pleased Artios will leverage its unique expertise in this
field to advance this novel therapy toward the clinic to improve
outcomes for cancer patients.”
ATR[1] is an important signalling protein in DNA double strand
break repair and replication stress. Through inhibition of ATR,
tumours bearing an ATM[2] deficiency can be selectively killed
through a concept known as synthetic lethality. High levels of ATM
mutations and protein loss have been characterised across many
different tumour types, creating a significant opportunity for ATR
inhibitors clinically. Based on clinical observations at MD
Anderson, Therapeutics Discovery engaged with ShangPharma and its
affiliate, ChemPartner, to develop small-molecule inhibitors of the
DDR that could benefit patients across multiple cancer types.
“We are proud of the entire collaboration team, including
ChemPartner, led by Sarah Lively,
Ph.D., vice president of Innovation and New Technologies, for
advancing the programme from early-stage research to formal drug
discovery and development,” said Walter
Moos, Ph.D., CEO of ShangPharma Innovation. “We are
pleased to transition this important programme to the capable
development team at Artios, and we hope this ultimately provides an
impactful therapy for those afflicted with cancer.”
END
For more information, please
contact:
Artios Pharma Ltd.
Niall Martin, Chief Executive
Officer
Tel: +44 (0)1223 804180
Media & IR Enquiries
Optimum Strategic Communications
Mary Clark/ Eva Haas/ Hollie
Vile
artios@optimumcomms.com
Tel: +44 (0) 203 950 9144
MD Anderson Contact
Clayton Boldt
Public Relations
The University of Texas MD Anderson
Cancer Center
713-792-9518
crboldt@mdanderson.org
[1] Ataxia Telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein kinase
[2] Ataxia Telangiectasia Mutated
Notes to Editors
About Artios Pharma Limited
Artios is a leading DNA Damage Response (DDR) company focused on
developing first-in-class treatments for cancer. The Company,
founded by SV Health Investors in 2016, is led by an experienced
scientific and leadership team with proven expertise in DDR drug
discovery. It has a unique partnership with Cancer Research UK
(CRUK), and collaborations with leading DNA repair researchers
worldwide, such as The Institute of Cancer Research (ICR),
London, the Netherlands Cancer
Institute (NKI) and the National Centre for Biomolecular Research
at Masaryk University in the Czech
Republic. Artios is building a pipeline of next-generation
DDR programmes to target hard to treat cancers. Backed by blue chip
investors including: AbbVie Ventures, Andera Partners, Arix
Bioscience, IP Group plc, LSP, M Ventures, Novartis Venture Fund,
Pfizer Ventures and SV Health Investors. Artios is based in
Cambridge, UK and New York City, USA. For more information, please visit
www.artiospharma.com
About MD Anderson
The University of Texas MD Anderson
Cancer Center in Houston ranks as
one of the world's most respected centers focused on cancer patient
care, research, education and prevention. The institution’s sole
mission is to end cancer for patients and their families around the
world. MD Anderson is one of only 50 comprehensive cancer centers
designated by the National Cancer Institute (NCI). MD Anderson is
ranked No.1 for cancer care in U.S. News & World Report’s “Best
Hospitals” survey. It has ranked as one of the nation’s top two
hospitals for cancer care since the survey began in 1990, and has
ranked first 15 times in the last 18 years. MD Anderson receives a
cancer center support grant from the NCI of the National Institutes
of Health (P30 CA016672).
About ShangPharma Innovation Inc.
ShangPharma Innovation Inc. is a healthcare venture capital firm
that accelerates and facilitates pharmaceutical discovery and
development. With a focus on therapeutics and technology platforms,
ShangPharma Innovation offers funding, incubator space and other
support to its ecosystem of portfolio companies, collaborators and
partners. This includes sponsoring biotech start-ups and
proof-of-concept research at major academic and medical centers and
research institutes. ShangPharma maintains an active relationship
with its affiliate and preferred provider, ChemPartner, a
full-service preclinical CRO. For more information, see
www.spiivc.com and www.chempartner.com.
About ATR & ATM
ATM and ATR kinases are key mediators of DNA damage response
(DDR) which induce cell cycle arrest and facilitate DNA repair via
their downstream targets. Inhibiting the DDR has become an
attractive therapeutic concept in cancer therapy, since resistance
to genotoxic therapies has been associated with increased DDR
signaling, and many cancers have defects in certain components of
the DDR rendering them highly dependent on the remaining DDR
pathways for survival. ATM and ATR act as the apical regulators of
the response to DNA double strand breaks and replication stress,
respectively, with overlapping but non-redundant activities. (Weber
AM; Ryan AJ Pharmacol Ther. 2015 May; 149:124-38.)