BridgeBio Ventures into ADC Development... Partners with Pinobio

Bridge Biotherapeutics (left) and Pinobio logos
[Photo by each company]

[Asia Economy Reporter Lee Chun-hee] Bridge Biotherapeutics announced on the 26th that it has signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with Pinobio, a company developing antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) platforms, to discover new ADC candidate substances.

As the name suggests, ADCs are pharmaceuticals that conjugate antibodies and drugs. By linking antibodies that bind to cancer antigens with cytotoxic drugs (payloads) that eliminate cancer cells via a linker, ADCs can deliver toxins specifically to cancer cells like guided missiles, making this technology a next-generation cancer treatment. Recently, global big pharma companies have been actively securing this technology, while contract development and manufacturing organizations (CDMOs) such as Samsung Biologics and Lotte Biologics are also working to build production capabilities, making it a hot topic in the industry.

Accordingly, Bridge Biotherapeutics plans to collaborate with Pinobio to derive new therapeutic candidates for various cancer types, including non-small cell lung cancer, by utilizing ADC platform technology following the development of a targeted lung cancer treatment aimed at the epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) C797S mutation that appears after taking third-generation lung cancer drugs.

Through this research and development collaboration, Bridge Biotherapeutics will provide undisclosed cancer targets, while Pinobio will supply linkers and payloads applied in its proprietary platform 'PINOT-ADC.' They are expected to actively exchange technology and information. If new candidate substances are derived through mutual cooperation, detailed conditions will be specified in technology transfer and joint research and development contracts.

Pinobio’s third-generation ADC platform, PINOT-ADC, is a technology for developing ADC candidates based on camptothecin-class drugs and optimized linkers, similar to Daiichi Sankyo and AstraZeneca’s ADC drug Enhertu (trastuzumab deruxtecan) and Gilead’s Trodelvy (sacituzumab govitecan). Through a dual-action mechanism, it increases the possibility of overcoming cancer cell resistance while minimizing off-target effects caused by the pharmacokinetic profile of the drug.

Lee Jung-kyu, CEO of Bridge Biotherapeutics, said, “Following the development of lung cancer treatments through targeted anticancer methods, we aim to explore the possibility of developing new treatment options for a wide range of cancers, including lung cancer, by integrating the ADC platform, which is gaining attention in the global anticancer drug market. We will work closely with Pinobio to do our best to derive new anticancer drug candidates through creative methods incorporating new modalities.”

Jung Doo-young, CEO of Pinobio, also said, “We are pleased to sign an MOU for ADC development with Bridge Biotherapeutics, which has sufficient clinical development and business development organizations as well as research and development experience and capabilities in targeted anticancer drugs for non-small cell lung cancer. We will actively strive to ensure successful ADC anticancer drug development through this collaboration.”

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.