Almac Discovery nominates a first candidate molecule from its Protein Drug Conjugate (PDC) Platform to progress into pre-clinical development

Almac Discovery nominates a first candidate molecule from its Protein Drug Conjugate (PDC) Platform to progress into pre-clinical development

Almac Discovery, a research driven drug discovery company and member of the Almac Group, today announces the nomination of a new pre-clinical candidate molecule (ADP-c389), a novel Protein Drug Conjugate (PDC) targeting the tumour-associated antigen ROR1, for the treatment of refractory solid and haematological cancers. This follows an extensive profiling exercise in which ADP-c389 has demonstrated an excellent preclinical efficacy profile in a range of models, a large therapeutic index and robust preclinical development potential.

This nomination represents the first candidate molecule to be generated using Almac Discovery’s novel PDC platform. The platform combines the use of single chain antigen binding domains with Almac’s proprietary linker:payload and conjugation technologies to produce first and best in class compounds that target unmet needs in oncology.

ROR1 is a novel tumour-associated antigen and was selected as the first target for the platform due to its selective expression pattern on different tumour types including triple-negative breast cancer, lung cancer, ovarian and colorectal cancer, and its functional role in tumorigenesis, disease progression and drug resistance. With ADP-c389 in hand, the Almac Discovery team are now also exploring additional clinical applications for the molecule in areas of high unmet need.

Dr Graham Cotton, Head of Protein Therapeutics at Almac Discovery, said: “The nomination of this candidate drug represents a significant value inflection point in in the development of our PDC platform and an important step forward in our search for new treatments for solid tumours.  This particular molecule has arisen from our strategic collaboration with Elasmogen Ltd, (Aberdeen UK), with whom we have worked to identify a selective, high affinity single domain binding molecule derived from their shark Variable New Antigen Receptor (VNAR) platform. With this, and other differentiating features included in the design of this compound, we are confident that ADP-c389 has the potential to progress to a Best-in-Class drug against this clinically relevant target.”

Dr Alan Lamont, VP Business Development and Licensing added: “We are now seeking to identify a partner to facilitate clinical development of this asset and take this molecule through the next stages of development.”