SK bolsters oncology pipeline in radiopharmaceutical licensing deal

SK Biopharmaceuticals has in-licensed its 2nd radiopharmaceutical – this clip from a US-based world organisation – successful a bid to heighten its oncology pipeline.

Through its woody with the Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation (WARF), the South Korean biotech has acquired the institution’s carbonic anhydrase IX (CA9)-targeting preclinical asset, WT-7695.

Although fiscal details of the woody were not disclosed, SK present has the exclusive planetary rights to develop, manufacture and marketplace WT-7695, which was antecedently forged successful collaboration with the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

WT-7695 is simply a tiny molecule radiopharmaceutical that targets and binds to the transmembrane protein, CA9, which plays a cardinal relation successful maintaining intracellular pH.

The people is highly expressed successful wide compartment renal compartment carcinoma (ccRCC) and a assortment of coagulated tumour types, including pancreatic and colorectal crab portion demonstrating debased look successful mean tissues. Under hypoxic conditions, CA9 often contributes to crab compartment maturation and metastasis.

According to SK, preclinical studies involving WT-7695 show the drug’s imaginable to go a “best-in-class radiopharmaceutical candidate”.

Following its acquisition of the radiopharmaceutical, SK volition behaviour planetary objective trials, which volition beryllium conducted successful the US.

SK’s woody with the WARF follows the company’s telephone to licence neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR1)-targeting radiopharmaceutical, SKL35501, from Full-Life Technologies successful July 2024.

These oncology deals adhd a caller country of absorption to SK’s pipeline, which is chiefly dedicated to drugs targeting the cardinal tense strategy (CNS). WT-7695 and SKL35501 are joined by a p300 degrader – presently successful the find signifier – successful SK’s oncology portfolio.

While CA9 remains a comparatively caller people wrong the oncology field, definite institutions and companies crossed the Asia-Pacific (APAC) portion are betting connected the target.

This includes Australian biopharma institution Telix Pharmaceuticals, which is presently readying to behaviour its archetypal in-human survey connected its radionuclide cause conjugate (RDC) hopeful, TLX-252. According to GlobalData’s Pharmaceutical Intelligence Center, the proceedings is acceptable to initiate successful 2026.

GlobalData is the genitor institution of Clinical Trials Arena.

Meanwhile, Japanese biotech PeptiDream filed an investigational caller cause (IND) exertion with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) connected 25 November for its CA9-binding radiopharmaceutical, [225Ac]PD-32766. If approved, this volition spot the campaigner participate Phase I trials successful ccRCC.