Genmab has dropped an antibody-drug conjugate picked up as part of its $1.8 billion ProfoundBio buyout, citing an inadequate benefit-risk profile.
A spokesperson confirmed the discontinuation to Fierce Biotech and said Genmab continues to develop other investigational treatments obtained in last year’s acquisition.
The discarded candidate, dubbed GEN1107, is a protein tyrosine K 7 (PTK7)-targeted ADC that was being studied in a phase 1/2 cancer trial. The study enrolled 33 patients with advanced solid tumors, including ovarian cancer, endometrial cancer, triple negative breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, gastroesophageal cancer and urothelial cancer.
The trial stopped Aug. 18 of this year after launching in January 2024, according to ClinicalTrials.gov.
GEN1107 is one of three clinical candidates picked up in the deal, alongside ProfoundBio’s star rinatabart sesutecan (Rina-S). The investigational ADC is designed to deliver topoisomerase-1 (Topo1) inhibitor to cells that express folate receptor alpha (FRα).
FRα is overexpressed in ovarian cancer and other solid tumors, and numerous other biopharmas—such as AbbVie with its $10 billion Immunogen buy for the FRα drug Elahere—are targeting the receptor. While Genmab has entered the scene later than the rest, the company’s ProfoundBio purchase reflects a belief that Rina-S has best-in-class potential.
Genmab is continuing the development of Rina-S, which is currently being studied in platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer, the spokesperson confirmed.
The big biotech is also still holding onto GEN1160, a CD70-targeted ADC being tested out in advanced renal cell carcinoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma and non-Hodgkin lymphoma, the spokesperson said. Genmab continues to work on preclinical assets picked up from ProfoundBio, as well.
The dropped program, GEN1107, and Rina-S are both listed in a lawsuit against Genmab that was filed by AbbVie in March. The big pharma claims that ProfoundBio used proprietary information from a former AbbVie scientist to develop its ADCs, and that Genmab was “intentionally and willfully blind” to the theft of trade secrets.
Genmab has refuted the claims and vowed to “vigorously defend” itself.