Emergence Therapeutics obtains the rights to develop a novel antibody-drug conjugate using Mablink Bioscience’s proprietary PSARlink™ drug-linker technology.
Duisburg, Germany, and Lyon, France, 5 October 2021. Emergence Therapeutics AG, a European biopharmaceutical company developing novel antibody drug conjugate (ADC) immuno-therapeutics to treat cancers with high unmet needs and Mablink Bioscience S.A.S. a biotechnology company developing a pipeline of ADC based on its proprietary PSARlink™ drug-linker technology today announced that they entered into a Licensing Agreement. Under the terms of the agreement, Emergence Therapeutics will use a PSARlink™ drug-linker developed by Mablink to develop an ADC targeting Nectin-4, a protein overexpressed in several severe cancers.
Jack Elands, CEO of Emergence Therapeutics said: “Mablink Bioscience’s technology, PSARlink™, which is based on a hydrophilic linker using a polysarcosine arm, enabled us to design a Nectin-4 ADC loaded with the cytotoxic agent of our choice, whilst retaining the antibody’s pharmacological properties. This technology has the potential to widen the therapeutic index of an ADC and to make our Nectin-4 ADC a best-in-class. The preclinical data we obtained so far are very encouraging in this regard.” Jean-Guillaume Lafay, CEO of Mablink Bioscience added: “We have developed a unique technology that we believe solves the core issue that impaired so many ADC developments. Grafting cytotoxic molecules to an Antibody usually creates a rather hydrophobic ADC, which is correlated with poor pharmacological properties (low drug-exposure and general toxicity issues). While Mablink Bioscience develops its own drug candidates targeting several difficult-to-treat cancers, we are delighted to be joined by Emergence Therapeutics in our effort to develop the 3rd generation of ADCs and to bring new, more efficient, therapeutic options to cancer patients.”
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About Emergence Therapeutics
Emergence Therapeutics is a European biopharmaceutical company developing novel antibody drug
conjugates (ADC) to treat high-need cancers. Its lead program combines a highly specific antibody with optimized linker and payload technology to target Nectin-4 – an important target for a broad range of cancers which has been clinically validated as an ADC target by enfortumab vedotin, now approved for the treatment of urothelial cancers by the US Food and Drug Administration. Emergence is also actively exploring opportunities to develop further first- or best-in-class ADCs driven by therapeutic need. Emergence is based in Duisburg, Germany with a subsidiary in Marseille, France. For more information, please visit: www.emergencetx.com
Contact:
Jack Elands, PhD
Chief Executive Officer
E jelands[at]emergencetx.com
M +33 6 38 35 70 08
Emergence Therapeutics AG
Schifferstrasse 210, D-47059 Duisburg, Germany