Adbiotech and Exicure to Jointly Develop Combination Therapies for Multiple Indications Including Solid Tumors

Adbiotech is partnering with the U.S.-based Exicure to jointly develop combination therapies utilizing Burixafor (GPC-100). The two companies announced on April 22 that they have signed a related joint development agreement.

This collaboration will leverage Exicure’s clinical-stage compound Burixafor and Adbiotech’s in vivo research capabilities. The core objective is to validate combination strategies centered on Burixafor, a CXCR4 antagonist, in conjunction with various therapeutics. The primary indications include sickle cell disease (SCD), acute myeloid leukemia (AML), and multiple types of solid tumors.

Burixafor previously demonstrated positive results in a Phase 2 clinical trial targeting multiple myeloma last year, and a subsequent Phase 3 trial is expected to begin soon. Multiple myeloma is a type of blood cancer caused by the abnormal proliferation of plasma cells.

The division of roles between the two companies is also clear. Adbiotech will be responsible for preclinical studies using animal models and the validation of combination strategies, as well as participating in translational research and biomarker development. Exicure, on the other hand, will lead Burixafor development support, clinical strategy planning, and regulatory affairs.

A Joint Development Committee (JDC) will also be established. Through this committee, both parties will monitor research progress, oversee the overall clinical development, and coordinate development and regulatory strategies. Once in vivo validation is completed, the companies plan to seek approval for an Investigational New Drug (IND) application and then proceed with clinical trials in stages. Particularly in the hematologic cancer fields, such as SCD and AML, the companies explained that if the development scale expands, it will be possible to start directly from Phase 2 trials.

Future details regarding specific development plans, cost sharing, intellectual property rights, and commercialization structures will be finalized in the main agreement. A company representative stated, “By combining the technological capabilities and experience of both companies, we aim to achieve meaningful results across a diverse range of disease areas.”

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