UCB gains global licenses pertaining to the Phase IIa non-small-cell-lung cancer candidate.
ImClone Systems reported that it has opted-out of its development agreement with UCB related to UCB’s Phase II non-small-cell-lung cancer therapy.
UCB retains the freedom to operate rights globally for CDP-791 and some of ImClone’s intellectual property pertaining to vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (VEGFR-2). ImClone will receive royalties on future sales of CDP-791.
Melanie Lee, executive vp, R&D, UCB expects to have results from the Phase IIa study around April. CDP-791 is UCB’s PEGylated diFab antibody that inhibits the function of a signaling pathway that plays a role in the formation of blood vessels in tumors by blocking VEGFR-2 from binding to molecules that stimulate its activation.
ImClone says it will focus its resources on the development of its own antibody candidate targeting VEGFR-2. “We are on target to complete Phase I studies of IMC-1121B on several administration schedules in the first half of 2007 and intend to focus significant efforts on developing this promising VEGFR-2 blocking antibody,” remarks Eric Rowinsky, M.D., CMO and senior vp of ImClone.
