France-based biotech Mablink secured $30 million (€31 million EUR) to develop next-generation antibody-drug conjugates for the treatment of cancer.
France-based biotech Mablink secured $30 million (€31 million EUR) to develop next-generation antibody-drug conjugates for the treatment of cancer.
The finances will be used to advance its lead ADC candidate MBK-103 into the clinic and support the development of a pipeline of ADCs with the company’s proprietary platform, its PSARlink masking technology.
The PSARlink technology allows chemicals to circulate longer in the body, improving their impact without harming healthy cells, the company said. Mablink believes the technology will enable an improvement in patient life expectancy through the development of more focused and effective treatment.
The structure of Mablink’s linker is designed to mask the cytotoxic molecule from the body’s immune system in order for it to be more effective against the cancer cells. In addition to its masking capabilities, the PSARlink technology is designed to enable the ADC to remain within the body for a longer period, in order to destroy the tumor cells.
In its announcement, Mablink said its technology platform has demonstrated a 10-fold increase in the therapeutic index observed in animal models. If that can translate into humans, the company believes it has a game-changing platform on its hands.
Jean-Guillaume Lafay, chief executive officer and co-founder of Mablink, told BioSpace the company’s technology resolves the hydrophobicity issue of ADCs.
“Rather than adapting the molecule to adapt them in the ADC format or changing the conjugation methods, Mablink decided to camouflage them with a unique masking entity, which can be used with theoretically any active molecule,” Lafay explained.
What’s Next for Mablink
MBK-103 is an ADC that combines the company’s proprietary linker technology and exatecan, a potent Topoisomerase-I inhibitor, as the payload. MBK-103 targets Folate Receptor Alpha (FRa), a protein overexpressed in multiple solid tumors where there is high unmet need, including ovarian or triple-negative breast cancers.
Although no timeline was given, Lafay said the company aims to take it into the clinic as quickly as possible.
Beyond MBK-103, Lafay said the company intends to propose a new drug candidate every 12 to 18 months. He said the company hopes to address as many indications as possible given the capabilities of its technology.
The Series A financing round, which builds on €4M in seed funding last year, was led by Sofinnova Partners and Mérieux Equity Partners. Existing investors including Elaia Partners, UI-Investissement / Pertinence Invest 2, Sham Innovation Santé, Fondation Fournier-Majoie, Simba Santé and Crédit Agricole Création also participated in the Series A.
The company currently has a 20-member team, but with the financing, Lafay said there are plans to scale. The company is currently looking for a chief medical officer and the size of the company is set to double over the next two years.
A Highly Competitive Space
The ADC space is highly competitive with multiple companies carving out a position. The ADC market is estimated to be valued at more than $25 billion by 2028.
To date, the FDA has approved 12 ADCs and another six have been approved by other regulatory agencies. Companies that are leading the way in the development of ADCs include Roche, AstraZeneca, Daiichi Sankyo, Seagen and ADC Therapeutics.
Other companies, such as Switzerland-based Araris Biotech AG, which raised $24 million earlier this month, and the recently-launched U.K.-based Pheon Therapeutics are also shouldering their way into the space.
