Starpharma, a world leader in dendrimer product development, reportedly announced that AstraZeneca, a renowned British-Swedish biopharmaceutical company, has initiated a phase 1 clinical study of AZD0466. The first patient in this trial has been successfully administered with the drug candidate. The study would enroll patients with an array of cancers and would be conducted in 4-5 U.S. sites.

The AZD0466 development is being conducted under a multi-product license in which Starpharma is eligible to gain launch, development and sales milestones of approximately $124 million. The company is also eligible to get tiered royalties over net sales. Starpharma has received a payment of $3 million triggered from AZD0466’s first dose being administered in the phase 1 study. Under the license, AstraZeneca also finances the development expenses of DEP® AstraZeneca products.

AstraZeneca claims that AZD0466 has the capability to be a ‘best-in-class’ drug in the field. The drug has a wide opportunity in hematological (blood cancers) and solid tumors. This application of the drug is due to its ability to target both Bcl/xL and Bcl2.

Bcl2 is a medically validated oncology target having the Bcl2 inhibitor, Venclexta^TM - AbbVie/Genentech (venetoclax), which was approved earlier in 2016 by the US FDA. The peak global sales were estimated to be between $2-3 billion.

Starpharma CEO, Dr Jackie Fairley stated that it is thrilling to reach this crucial milestone both for the company’s partnership with AstraZeneca as well as for Starpharma’s DEP® platform. This is the company’s first collaborated DEP® product to enter the clinic, along with the company’s three internal DEP® products, DEP® cabazitaxel, DEP® irinotecan, and DEP® docetaxel.

Fairley further added that AZD0466 is a great example of the advantages that would be created for new agents utilizing the DEP® platform and the company looks forward to new updates as the study progresses.

In August 2019, the company also observed positive outcomes for its new HER-2 focused DEP® conjugate to treat ovarian cancer.
 

Source credit: https://www.starpharma.com/news/457