PRAGUE & AMSTERDAM--(BUSINESS WIRE)--SOTIO Biotech, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company owned by PPF Group, today announced it will be exercising its option, under its license and option agreement with Synaffix B.V. (“Synaffix”), a Lonza company (SWX: LONN), to obtain a license to Synaffix’s technology to develop two bispecific antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) programs.
The exercised option will enable SOTIO to advance two bispecific candidates, designed by its in-house research team, that have the potential to become first-in-class and/or best-in-class treatments for solid tumors. SOT112 is a bispecific ADC with potential applicability in several major cancer indications, while SOT113 demonstrates promise for precision targeting of prostate cancer. Both programs leverage the selection of highly attractive target pairs and are now in the lead nomination stage.
The bispecific antibody candidates were identified by SOTIO’s research team and will now be developed under SOTIO’s license and option agreement with Synaffix, which enables SOTIO to combine its proprietary antibodies with Synaffix’s GlycoConnect®, HydraSpace®, and potent linker-payloads of the toxSYN® platform to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize ADC products.
“The promising preclinical data on SOT112 and SOT113 have reinforced our confidence in their potential, and we are excited to advance these candidates within our first-in-class and best-in-class ADC portfolio,” said Martin Steegmaier, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of SOTIO. “Bispecific ADCs represent a groundbreaking frontier in oncology, offering enhanced tumor-targeting precision and the potential to overcome the challenges of heterogeneity in solid tumor target expression. Both advancements align with our mission to develop safer and more effective treatments for solid tumors.”
Peter van de Sande, head of Synaffix, commented: “We are pleased that SOTIO, recognizing the versatility and robustness of our clinically validated platform, has chosen to expand its use of our ADC technology to two additional targets. ADCs are a key part of our offering, and our technology is primed to support this next stage of innovation in targeted cancer therapeutics. We look forward to seeing these promising candidates advance toward the clinic.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Synaffix is eligible to receive an upfront payment with the potential for milestone payments, plus single-digit royalties on net sales. SOTIO will be responsible for research, development, manufacturing, and commercialization of the ADC products, and Synaffix will closely support SOTIO’s research activities and be responsible for the manufacturing of components that are specifically related to its proprietary GlycoConnect®, HydraSpace®, and linker-payloads of the toxSYN® technologies.
About Synaffix
Synaffix B.V. is a biotechnology company that enables ADC product candidates using its clinical-stage, site-specific ADC technology platform based on GlycoConnect®, HydraSpace® and toxSYN® technologies, that together enable any company with an antibody to develop proprietary best-in-class ADC products under a single license from Synaffix. The Synaffix platform enables a rapid timeline to clinic due to the established supply chain of technology components. Synaffix holds granted patents to its technology. The business model of Synaffix is target-specific technology out-licensing, as exemplified through its partnered pipeline. Synaffix was fully acquired by Lonza in June 2023. For more information about Synaffix’s ADC platform technology, please visit: https://www.synaffix.com/platform/technology.
About SOTIO Biotech
SOTIO Biotech (SOTIO) is shaping the future of targeted cancer therapies by translating compelling science into patient benefit. The company is advancing an innovative pipeline of mono- and bispecific solid tumor ADC programs at various stages of preclinical development. The SOTIO pipeline also includes two clinical-stage programs: SOT201, a next-generation PD-1-targeting immunocytokine; and BOXR1030, a metabolically-enhanced CAR-T cell therapy targeting GPC3-expressing tumors. SOTIO is a member of the PPF Group. For more information, please visit the company’s website at www.sotio.com.
SOTIO is a registered trademark of SOTIO Biotech a.s. in selected countries.
