Nordic Nanovector and AREVA Med to investigate potential of lead-212 conjugated anti-CD37 antibody for treating leukaemias
Oslo, Norway, and Courbevoie, France, 28th of June 2016
Nordic Nanovector, a biotech company focusing on the development and commercialisation of novel targeted therapeutics in haematology and oncology, and AREVA Med, the AREVA medical subsidiary developing lead-212 (212Pb) based cancer therapies, announced today that they have entered into a collaboration agreement to investigate the potential of a 212Pb-conjugated anti-CD37 antibody for the treatment of leukaemias. Leukemias are orphan diseases with a significant unmet medical need. Prevalent relapsed AML and CLL patients are more than 60,000 per year worldwide. This represents a growing market worth over USD 5 billion by 2020.
Under the terms of the agreement, Nordic Nanovector will provide its chimeric anti-CD37 antibody (NNV003) and its expertise in antibody radionuclide conjugate (ARC) development while AREVA Med will provide expertise in the production of 212Pb, in the development of Targeted Alpha Therapies using this radionuclide and in site-specific bioconjugation methods through its Macrocyclics subsidiary.
The radionuclide 212Pb has important characteristics that make it an attractive payload for the treatment of leukaemias where there is no substantial tumour mass and tumour cells are in close proximity to healthy tissues. These properties are based on the decay chain of 212Pb with the emission of very short range alpha particles, thereby offering the potential to create innovative therapies with highly localized targeting and tumour cell killing with improved tolerability.
Preclinical studies to determine the initial safety and efficacy profile of the novel anti-CD37 212Pb-ARC will be conducted at AREVA Med’s facility in Plano, Texas, USA. Nordic Nanovector has the option to license any resulting ARCs for further development and AREVA Med has the option to license the use of CD37-targeting antibodies for its own purposes.
Both companies will contribute to the collaboration, which will also benefit from grant funding awarded in February 2016 to Nordic Nanovector from the Research Council of Norway’s user-driven research-based innovation program (in Norwegian; Brukerstyrt innovasjonsarena, BIA).
Nordic Nanovector’s Chief Scientific Officer, Jostein Dahle, commented: “The CD37 antigen is expressed on the surface of many haematological cancer cells, including leukaemia cells, making it an important target for ARC-based therapies. Our long-term strategy is focused on building a pipeline of products that leverages our expertise in CD37-targeting and ARCs, combined, where necessary, with therapeutic payloads and complementary expertise from partners such as AREVA Med. We are excited to begin this new collaboration and to evaluate the potential of this novel 212Pb-ARC for treating leukaemias.”
Patrick Bourdet, President & CEO of AREVA Med added: “In addition to our recent facility opening in Texas for the production of 212Pb and development of Targeted Alpha Therapies with 212Pb, this new partnership with Nordic Nanovector expands our project pipeline and places AREVA Med in a very strong position to meet the anticipated acceleration of our development.”
For further information, please contact:
Tone Kvåle, Chief Financial Officer
Phone: +47 91 51 95 76
E-mail: ir@nordicnanovector.com
International Media Enquiries:
Mark Swallow/David Dible (Citigate Dewe Rogerson)
Tel: +44 207 282 2948/+44 207 282 2949
Email: nordicnanovector@citigatedr.co.uk
AREVA Med
Alison Tise
Tel: (301) 841-1673
Email: alison.tise@areva.com
About Nordic Nanovector
Nordic Nanovector is a biotech company focusing on the development and commercialisation of novel targeted therapeutics in haematology and oncology. The Company's lead clinical-stage product opportunity is Betalutin®, the first in a new class of Antibody-Radionuclide-Conjugates (ARC) designed to improve upon a complement current options for the treatment of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL). NHL is an indication with substantial unmet medical need and orphan drug opportunities, representing a growing market worth over USD 12 billion by 2018. Betalutin® comprises a tumour-seeking anti-CD37 antibody (HH1) conjugated to a low intensity radionuclide (lutetium-177). The preliminary data has shown promising efficacy and safety profile in an ongoing Phase1/2 study in a difficult-to-treat NHL patient population. The Company is aiming at developing Betalutin® for the treatment of major types of NHL with first regulator submission anticipated in 1H 2019. Nordic Nanovector intends to retain marketing rights and to actively participate in the commercialisation to Betalutin® in core markets, while exploring potential distribution agreements in selected geographies. The Company is committed to developing its ARC pipeline to treat multiple selected cancer indications.
Further information about the Company can be found at www.nordicnanovector.com
About AREVA Med
AREVA Med is the AREVA Group Medical subsidiary formed in 2009 to develop new therapies to fight cancer. AREVA Med has developed a unique process to extract lead-212 (212Pb), a rare metal used in targeted alpha therapy (TAT), a novel approach which targets and destroys cancer cells, while limiting the impact on nearby healthy cells. AREVA Med collaborates with world-renowned scientific partners, and formed a strategic global alliance with Roche in 2012, to create a new advanced alpha radioimmunotherapy platform.
For more information: www.arevamed.com. Follow @AREVAmed on Twitter.
This information is subject to the disclose requirements pursuant to section 5-12 of the Norwegian Securities Trading Act.
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