SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SWTX), today announced that it has entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Dana-Farber) and a sponsored research agreement (SRA) with Stanford Medicine for a portfolio of novel small molecule inhibitors of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) designed for the treatment of EGFR-mutant lung cancers.
- Portfolio is Currently in Lead Optimization and Includes Several Novel Approaches for Targeting Mutant EGFR that are Designed to Address Both De Novo Oncogenic Drivers and Emerging Resistance Mutations -
- Chemistry Exclusively Licensed to SpringWorks by Dana-Farber Cancer Institute; SpringWorks Has Also Entered into a Sponsored Research Agreement with Stanford Medicine and Dana-Farber Cancer Institute to Support the Lead Optimization Campaign and Translational Biology Efforts -
STAMFORD, Conn., Oct. 20, 2021 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- SpringWorks Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SWTX), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing life-changing medicines for patients with severe rare diseases and cancer, today announced that it has entered into an exclusive worldwide license agreement with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (Dana-Farber) and a sponsored research agreement (SRA) with Stanford Medicine for a portfolio of novel small molecule inhibitors of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor (EGFR) designed for the treatment of EGFR-mutant lung cancers. The portfolio, which was originally developed in the laboratory of Nathanael Gray, Ph.D., Professor of Chemical and Systems Biology, Co-Director of Cancer Drug Discovery, and Co-Leader of the Cancer Therapeutics Research Program at Stanford Medicine, includes several differentiated, first-in-class chemical series representing novel approaches to targeting mutant EGFR and is designed to address both de novo oncogenic drivers and emerging resistance mutations to existing EGFR inhibitors. The most advanced asset in the portfolio is currently in lead optimization and targets the C797S resistance mutation.
“We are very pleased to expand our portfolio with the in-license of these selective and differentiated EGFR inhibitors, which are complementary to our strategy of developing novel targeted therapies for patients with biomarker-defined solid tumors,” said Saqib Islam, Chief Executive Officer of SpringWorks. “In addition to the monotherapy opportunities in lung cancer, where a significant unmet medical need remains, these EGFR inhibitors provide several avenues for combination therapy development as well.”
“Since our lab discovered the initial compounds that could address EGFR T790M mutations, we have been exploring additional strategies to create next-generation agents for patients with EGFR-mutant lung cancers in order to address the resistance mutations that inevitably arise upon treatment with osimertinib and other therapies,” said Dr. Gray. “I am grateful for the SRA support from SpringWorks and continued collaboration with my former colleagues at Dana-Farber to further this exciting science with the goal of translating our initial discoveries into meaningful new therapies for cancer patients.”
Under the terms of the license agreement, SpringWorks will provide Dana-Farber with an upfront payment and Dana-Farber will be eligible to receive development and commercial milestones and royalties based on any future net sales. Concurrent with this license, SpringWorks has entered a multi-year SRA to fund continued research and development in Dr. Gray’s laboratory at Stanford Medicine as well as collaborating laboratories at Dana-Farber, including those of Pasi Jänne, M.D., Ph.D., Director of the Lowe Center for Thoracic Oncology at Dana-Farber and Professor of Medicine at Harvard Medical School, Michael Eck, M.D., Ph.D., Professor of Biological Chemistry and Molecular Pharmacology at Dana-Farber and Harvard Medical School, and Jarrod Marto, Ph.D., Principal Investigator at Dana-Farber and Associate Professor of Pathology at Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard Medical School. This SRA is intended to support lead optimization and translational biology efforts as the portfolio advances towards development candidate nomination.
“Drs. Gray, Jänne, Eck and Marto have been pioneers in the discovery and development of precision medicines for cancer patients. Through this license agreement and multi-year research collaboration, we have the opportunity to advance programs at the leading edge of targeted oncology development, potentially delivering first- and best-in-class medicines to address emerging drivers of therapeutic resistance,” said Mike Burgess M.B.Ch.B., Ph.D., Head of Research & Development at SpringWorks.
About SpringWorks Therapeutics
SpringWorks is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company applying a precision medicine approach to acquiring, developing and commercializing life-changing medicines for patients living with severe rare diseases and cancer. SpringWorks has a differentiated targeted oncology portfolio of small molecule product candidates and is advancing 15 development programs, including two potentially registrational clinical trials in rare tumor types as well as several other programs addressing highly prevalent, genetically defined cancers. SpringWorks’ strategic approach and operational excellence in clinical development have enabled it to rapidly advance its two lead product candidates into late-stage clinical trials while simultaneously entering into multiple shared-value partnerships with innovators in industry and academia to expand its portfolio and create more solutions for patients with cancer. For more information, visit www.springworkstx.com and follow @SpringWorksTx on Twitter and LinkedIn.
SpringWorks Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 relating to our business, operations, and financial conditions, including but not limited to current beliefs, expectations and assumptions regarding the future of our business, future plans and strategies, our development plans, our preclinical and clinical results, and other future conditions. Words such as, but not limited to, “look forward to,” “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “would,” “should” and “could,” and similar expressions or words, identify forward-looking statements. New risks and uncertainties may emerge from time to time, and it is not possible to predict all risks and uncertainties. Any forward-looking statements in this press release are based on management’s current expectations and beliefs and are subject to a number of risks, uncertainties and important factors that may cause actual events or results to differ materially from those expressed or implied by any forward-looking statements contained in this press release, including, without limitation, risks relating to: (i) the success and timing of our product development activities, including the initiation and completion of SpringWorks’ clinical trials, (ii) the fact that interim data from a clinical study may not be predictive of the final results of such study or the results of other ongoing or future studies, (iii) the success and timing of our collaboration partners’ ongoing and planned clinical trials, (iv) our ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approval of any of our product candidates, (v) our plans to research, discover and develop additional product candidates, (vi) our ability to enter into collaborations for the development of new product candidates, (vii) our ability to establish manufacturing capabilities, and our and our collaboration partners’ abilities to manufacture our product candidates and scale production, (viii) our ability to meet any specific milestones set forth herein, and (ix) uncertainties and assumptions regarding the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on SpringWorks’ business, operations, clinical trials, supply chain, strategy, goals and anticipated timelines. Except as required by applicable law, we do not plan to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein, whether as a result of any new information, future events, changed circumstances or otherwise. Although we believe the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable, we can give no assurance that such expectations will prove to be correct. Accordingly, readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. For further information regarding the risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause differences between SpringWorks’ expectations and actual results, you should review the “Risk Factors” in Item 1A of Part I of SpringWorks’ Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the quarter ended June 30, 2021, as well as discussions of potential risks, uncertainties and other important factors in SpringWorks’ subsequent filings.
SpringWorks Media/Investor Contact:
Kim Diamond
203-561-1646
kdiamond@springworkstx.com
