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Compugen’s novel cytokine approach gets Gilead buy-in

Cytokines might have fallen out of favour but Gilead seems unperturbed, today striking a deal over Compugen’s IL-18 binding protein antibodies, including COM503. For a preclinical asset the fee is sizeable: $60m up front and another $30m near-term milestone on IND clearance of COM503, expected next year. It's therefore no wonder that Compugen’s share price shot up 180% this morning – although the group is still only worth $184m, raising the question of why Gilead didn’t opt for an outright takeout. Compugen will be responsible for the phase 1 trial of COM503, so perhaps this was a low-risk way for the big biotech to dip a toe into this space. Although the cytokine arena was once popular for drug development – and deals – the IL-18 pipeline looks fairly sparse, with most projects at the preclinical stage. While most of the groups are developing IL-18 analogues, Compugen is taking a different approach by hitting the IL-18 binding protein, which normally inhibits IL-18; this should therefore boost IL-18 levels. The only other company developing a similar project, according to OncologyPipeline, is Lassen Therapeutics.

 

IL-18 projects in development

ProjectCompanyDescriptionStatus
ST-067Simcha TherapeuticsIL-18 variantPh1 in solid tumours completes Jun 2024
COM503Compugen/GileadAnti-IL-18BP monoclonal antibodyPreclinical; IND clearance expected 2024
BPT567Bright Peak TherapeuticsIL-18 conjugated to anti-PD-1 antibodyPreclinical
LASN500Lassen TherapeuticsAnti-IL-18BP monoclonal antibodyPreclinical
SON-1410Sonnet BioTherapeuticsIL-18-FHAB-IL-12*Preclinical
WTX-518Werewolf TherapeuticsIL-18 pro-drugPreclinical
XmAb143XencorIL-18/Fc fusion proteinPreclinical
ALKS IL-18Mural OncologyAnti-IL-18 fusion proteinCandidate nomination in IL-18 programme expected 2024

*FHAB=fully human albumin binding domain. Source: OncologyPipeline.