Turning Point Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: TPTX), announced today that it has entered into an exclusive license agreement with LaNova Medicines Limited (LaNova) to develop and commercialize LM-302, a novel antibody drug conjugate (ADC) targeting Claudin18.2, in the U.S. and rest of the world, excluding Greater China and South Korea.
Strategic Expansion of Turning Point Precision Oncology Portfolio
TPX-4589 (LM-302) Currently in Two Ongoing Phase 1 Studies
Agreement Includes Potential Broader Scope to Collaborate on up to Three Additional ADC Programs
SAN DIEGO, May 05, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Turning Point Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: TPTX), a clinical-stage precision oncology company designing and developing novel targeted therapies for cancer treatment, announced today that it has entered into an exclusive license agreement with LaNova Medicines Limited (LaNova) to develop and commercialize LM-302, a novel antibody drug conjugate (ADC) targeting Claudin18.2, in the U.S. and rest of the world, excluding Greater China and South Korea. Claudin18.2 is a protein expressed in many gastrointestinal cancers, including gastric, gastroesophageal junction and pancreatic cancer. LM-302, which going forward will be identified as TPX-4589, is currently in Phase 1 clinical trials in both the U.S. and China.
Under the terms of the licensing agreement, LaNova will receive an upfront payment of $25 million and will be eligible to receive up to an additional $195 million in development and regulatory milestone payments; in addition, LaNova is eligible to receive commercial sales milestones, and tiered royalties ranging from mid-single digit to mid-teens percentages on net sales (subject to customary deductions). As part of the agreement, both parties agreed to potentially broaden the partnership by collaborating on up to three additional ADC programs.
TPX-4589 (LM-302) is a potentially first-in-class anti-Claudin18.2 ADC discovered by LaNova that suppresses cell proliferation of gastric and pancreatic cell lines with nanomolar potency in preclinical models. It also has demonstrated efficacy in gastric and pancreatic cancer xenograft models.
“We are excited to announce our first in-license as a company and strategically expand our clinical stage portfolio, specifically within GI tumors. Claudin18.2 is continuing to emerge as an important target,” said Athena Countouriotis, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Turning Point. “We chose TPX-4589 based on it potentially being a first-in-class ADC to target Claudin18.2 and its preclinical data that show the potential to target tumors with low and high expression levels, which we believe could be an important differentiator versus other investigational therapies.”
“LaNova Medicines is focused on discovery and development of innovative medicines in oncology. We are very pleased to partner with Turning Point for LM-302, an innovative drug molecule with the potential as a novel treatment for gastric and pancreatic cancers. This partnership is an example of our discovery and development capabilities and our ambition for global innovation and patients,” said Dr. Crystal Qin, Chairman and CEO of LaNova.
It is estimated that the annual incidence of gastric and gastroesophageal junction cancers in the U.S. and EU5 is approximately 27,000 and 50,000, respectively1. The estimated annual incidence of pancreatic cancer in the U.S. and EU5 is approximately 60,000 and 70,000, respectively1. Approximately 65% of patients in pancreatic2, gastric and gastroesophageal junction3 cancers have tumors that express Claudin18.2.
Webcast/Conference Call Information
Turning Point will host a webcast and conference call on May 5, 2022 at 6 p.m. ET / 3 p.m. PT to discuss this announcement. Athena Countouriotis, M.D., President and Chief Executive Officer, will host the virtual event for investors and will be joined by Kumar Srinivasan, Chief Business Officer.
The event will be accessible through the “Investors” section of www.tptherapeutics.com or by dialing (844) 256-2297 (in the United States) or (236) 714-3006 (outside the U.S.) using conference ID 8780394. A replay will be available shortly after the live event through the “Investors” section of www.tptherapeutics.com.
About Turning Point Therapeutics Inc.
Turning Point Therapeutics is a clinical-stage precision oncology company with a pipeline of investigational drugs designed to address key limitations of existing cancer therapies. The company’s lead drug candidate, repotrectinib, is a next-generation kinase inhibitor targeting the ROS1 and TRK oncogenic drivers of non-small cell lung cancer and advanced solid tumors. Repotrectinib, which is being studied in a registrational Phase 2 study in adults and a Phase 1/2 study in pediatric patients, has shown antitumor activity and durable responses among kinase inhibitor treatment-naïve and pre-treated patients. The company’s pipeline of drug candidates also includes elzovantinib, targeting MET, CSF1R and SRC, which is being studied in a Phase 1 trial of patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors harboring genetic alterations in MET; TPX-0046, targeting RET, which is being studied in a Phase 1/2 trial of patients with advanced or metastatic solid tumors harboring genetic alterations in RET; TPX-0131, a next-generation ALK inhibitor, which is being studied in a Phase 1/2 trial of previously treated patients with ALK-positive advanced or metastatic non-small cell lung cancer; and TPX-4589 (LM-302), a novel ADC targeting Claudin18.2 being studied in a Phase 1 study in gastrointestinal cancers. The company is driven to develop therapies that mark a turning point for patients in their cancer treatment. For more information, visit www.tptherapeutics.com.
About LaNova Medicines Ltd
LaNova Medicines is a privately-held China-based global biotech company incorporated in 2019. The company is committed to the discovery, development and, in the future, commercialization of novel biological drugs with “First-in-class” or “Best-in-class” potential in the areas of tumor associated antigens and immuno-oncology in tumor microenvironment to address significant unmet medical needs.
Forward Looking Statements
Statements contained in this press release regarding matters that are not historical facts are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Because such statements are subject to risks and uncertainties, actual results may differ materially from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. Words such as “plans”, “will”, “believes,” “anticipates,” “expects,” “intends,” “goal,” “potential” and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. Such forward-looking statements in this press release include statements regarding, among other things, the potential for TPX-4589 (LM-302) to be a first-in-class anti-Claudin18.2 ADC candidate, and the efficacy, safety and therapeutic potential of TPX-4589 (LM-302). These forward-looking statements are based upon Turning Point Therapeutics’ current expectations and involve assumptions that may never materialize or may prove to be incorrect. Actual results could differ materially from those anticipated in such forward-looking statements as a result of various risks and uncertainties, which include, without limitation, risks and uncertainties associated with Turning Point Therapeutics’ business in general, risks and uncertainties related to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic to Turning Point Therapeutics’ business and the other risks described in Turning Point Therapeutics’ filings with the SEC, including its annual report on Form 10-K filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on February 28, 2022. All forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date on which they were made. Turning Point Therapeutics undertakes no obligation to update such statements to reflect events that occur or circumstances that exist after the date on which they were made.
1US: SEER database accessed January 2022; EU5: GLOBALCAN database accessed January 2022
2Woll at al., Int. J. Cancer:134, 731–739 (2014); Park et al., J Clin Oncol 38: 2020
3Arnold et al., Clinical and Translational Oncology (2020) 22:2357–2363; Dottermusch et al., Virchows Archiv (2019) 475:563–571
Turning Point Contact:
Adam D. Levy, PhD, MBA
ir@tptherapeutics.com
858-867-6366
