Avenzo follows Bristol’s lead
The private group taps DualityBio for an EGFR x HER3 ADC.
The private group taps DualityBio for an EGFR x HER3 ADC.
Avenzo Therapeutics has become the latest player to license a project from China’s DualityBio – and the private US group is following Bristol Myers Squibb by plumping for an EGFR x HER3-targeting ADC, now known as AVZO-1418.
Avenzo’s move here is much less expensive: it’s paying $50m up front, while Bristol shelled out $800m to get ex-China rights to Systimmune’s similarly acting izalontamab brengitecan just over a year ago.
AVZO-1418 is set to go into the clinic this year. Meanwhile, iza-can is in phase 3 in China, and a Bristol-sponsored global phase 1/2 trial in solid tumours was slated to begin at the end of last month.
As for other contenders, SystImmune could have another bite at the cherry via BL-B16D1, which uses a different payload from iza-can. Meanwhile, Junshi unveiled its own contender, JS212, on Wednesday, and Biocytogen, which on Tuesday struck its own deal with Acepodia over a dual-target, dual-payload project, is also active here.
EGFR x HER3 bispecific ADCs in development
| Project | Company | Status | Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Izalontamab brengitecan | Bristol Myers Squibb/SystImmune | China ph3s in lung, breast, oesophageal & head & neck cancers; ph1/2 global solid tumour trial began Dec 2024 | Bristol ex-China deal worth $800m u/f in Dec 2023; Systimmune also has EGFR x HER3 bispecific naked MAb izalontamab in China ph3s |
| BL-B16D1 | Biokin/Baili (SystImmune parent company) | China ph1s in breast, head & neck cancers & solid tumours | Auristatin payload (vs topoisomerase 1 inhibitor for iza-can) |
| JS212 | Shanghai Junshi | China IND accepted Jan 2025 | ADC details undisclosed |
| AVZO-1418 (DB-1418) | Avenzo/DualityBio | IND-enabling studies ongoing, ph1 planned for 2025 | Avenzo licensed for $50m in Jan 2025 (excluding China) |
| CS5007 | CStone Pharmaceuticals | IND submission expected in 2025 | CStone also has EGFR x HER3 bispecific antibody, CS2011, IND due in 2025 |
| PM1300 | BioNTech (via Biotheus) | Preclinical data at AACR 2024 | BioNTech bought Biotheus for $800m in Nov 2024 |
| BCG019 | Biocytogen | Preclinical data at AACR 2024 | Topoisomerase 1 inhibitor payload |
Source: OncologyPipeline.
Perhaps some of these groups could soon see interest, although Biotheus, for one, is no longer a free agent after being bought by BioNTech last year, for the PD-L1 x VEGF bispecific antibody BNT327.
EGFR x HER3-targeting bispecific naked antibodies are also in development, although SystImmune’s izalontamab is the only one in the clinic, according to OncologyPipeline.
As interest in Chinese assets surges, Duality has become a popular partner, having licensed three ADCs to BioNTech (targeting HER2, B7-H3 and TROP2), one to BeiGene (targeting B7-H4) and, most recently, one to GSK (with a mystery gastrointestinal target).
Duality still has other unpartnered projects, including an ADC against the now-hot target DLL3, so maybe more deals could be in the works.
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