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
Project | Company | Description | Status |
---|---|---|---|
ST-067 | Simcha Therapeutics | IL-18 variant | Ph1 in solid tumours completes Jun 2024 |
COM503 | Compugen/Gilead | Anti-IL-18BP monoclonal antibody | Preclinical; IND clearance expected 2024 |
BPT567 | Bright Peak Therapeutics | IL-18 conjugated to anti-PD-1 antibody | Preclinical |
LASN500 | Lassen Therapeutics | Anti-IL-18BP monoclonal antibody | Preclinical |
SON-1410 | Sonnet BioTherapeutics | IL-18-FHAB-IL-12* | Preclinical |
WTX-518 | Werewolf Therapeutics | IL-18 pro-drug | Preclinical |
XmAb143 | Xencor | IL-18/Fc fusion protein | Preclinical |
ALKS IL-18 | Mural Oncology | Anti-IL-18 fusion protein | Candidate nomination in IL-18 programme expected 2024 |
*FHAB=fully human albumin binding domain. Source: OncologyPipeline.
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