ProfoundBio (Suzhou) Co., Ltd.

Frazier Life Sciences and a cadre of well-known biotech investors are coming together for a new startup in the antibody-drug conjugates field, an area of cancer treatment R&D that has remained hot. Investors are pumping $187 million into a Series A for Callio Therapeutics, a new Seattle and Singapore biotech focused on multi-payload ADCs, according to a Monday morning announcement. Well, it’s sort of new. Callio is based on ADC technology and programs in-licensed from a decade-old Singapore biotech called Hummingbird Bioscience. Hummingbird will get equity, potential milestones and royalties in exchange for offloading its oncology ADC platform, and certain IP and pipeline assets associated with it, the companies said. And Callio is led by some of the longtime executives of Hummingbird, including CEO Piers Ingram, chief scientific officer Jerome Boyd-Kirkup and chief business officer Angèle Maki. Meanwhile, Callio’s medical chief is Naomi Hunder, who held the same post at ProfoundBio when that Seattle ADC biotech was bought by Genmab for $1.8 billion last spring . Callio and Hummingbird are independently operated, but Ingram will be running both “for now,” he said in an interview with Endpoints News . Callio has six employees so far, according to a spokesperson. Hummingbird got “very interested in the ADC space” about four years ago, “along with the rest of the field,” Ingram said. Since then, the “majority of resistance seems to be payload, rather than loss of antigen, driven,” he said. Ingram said the field has “struggled” to find good payloads. “The Topo1 inhibitors have proven to be a very, very good class of payload, but there are not many others still,” the CEO said. “The best strategy would be if you could really deliver targeted combination therapies to address these resistance mechanisms to the payloads that we do have.” To realize that potential in ADCs, it “seemed to be quite challenging to find a way to really make it work within Hummingbird,” so the investors and board decided to create a separate company focused on the ADC platform, Ingram said. The new company is a play on the original’s name. Callio is short for calliope, a tiny bird in the hummingbird family. Some of the same investors are backing both Callio and Hummingbird. Hummingbird last disclosed a $125 million Series C in May 2021 . That round and the new $187 million Series A share the following investor names: Frazier, Novo Holdings, Pureos Bioventures, SEEDS Capital and EDBI. Joining for the new round are Jeito Capital, Omega Funds, ClavystBio, Platanus and Norwest. The Series A will allow Callio to gather key clinical data on a HER2-targeted dual-payload ADC called HMBD-802, the company said. Callio also got the license to Hummingbird’s HMBD-803 and HMBD-804. Hummingbird will keep its two clinical-stage monoclonal antibodies, called HMBD-001 and HMBD-002, a spokesperson confirmed. Over the years, Hummingbird had done well with drumming up outside interest in its platform and pipeline. Amgen signed onto a co-discovery collaboration for new antibody therapies in 2019. That six-year pact included an undisclosed amount in upfront fees and research payments, plus the potential for up to $1.2 billion in biobucks across up to a dozen targets. But the California biopharma “deprioritized the targets in that collaboration,” the Callio spokesperson said. Amgen remains a shareholder in Hummingbird, they added. Hummingbird also licensed out a HER3-targeted ADC to Endeavor BioMedicines in 2023 for up to $430 million . And it licensed antibodies to Clay Siegall’s Immunome earlier this year.

The increasing global prevalence of cancer is fueling the demand for peptide-drug conjugates as targeted therapies, providing improved effectiveness and lower systemic toxicity than conventional treatments. Additionally, the expanding use of peptide-based therapeutics, driven by their enhanced treatment outcomes, biocompatibility, and precise tumor-targeting capabilities, is further propelling market growth. LAS VEGAS , Feb. 4, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- DelveInsight's Peptide-drug Conjugate Market Insights report provides the current and forecast market analysis, individual leading peptide-drug conjugate companies' market shares, challenges, peptide-drug conjugate market drivers, barriers, trends, and key market peptide-drug conjugate companies in the market. Key Takeaways from the Peptide-drug Conjugate Market Report As per DelveInsight estimates, North America is anticipated to dominate the global peptide-drug conjugate market during the forecast period. The LUTATHERA (lutetium Lu 177 dotatate) category in the peptide drug conjugates market dominated with a market share of 37% in 2024. Notable peptide-drug conjugate companies such as Novartis AG, Oncopeptides AB, Cybrexa Therapeutics, Avacta Therapeutics, ProteinQure, Theratechnologies Inc., CBP, Soricimed Biopharma, NMS Group S.p.A., Mainline Scientific LLC., Bicycle Therapeutics, and several others, are currently operating in the peptide-drug conjugate market. In April 2024, PeptiDream Inc. announced the expansion of its peptide discovery collaboration with Novartis Pharma AG. Using its proprietary Peptide Discovery Platform System (PDPS®), PeptiDream identified and optimized macrocyclic peptides for conjugation with radionuclides for therapeutic and diagnostic applications. In March 2023, Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. announced that it entered into a drug discovery collaboration agreement with PeptiDream Inc., to discover and develop novel macrocyclic constrained peptide drugs against multiple targets of Ono's interest. To read more about the latest highlights related to the PDC market, get a snapshot of the key highlights entailed in the Global Peptide-drug Conjugate Market Report Peptide-drug Conjugate Overview Peptide-drug conjugates (PDCs) are an emerging class of targeted therapeutics that combine the specificity of peptides with the potent efficacy of cytotoxic drugs. These conjugates leverage peptides as targeting ligands to deliver drugs selectively to diseased cells, such as cancerous or infected tissues, thereby minimizing off-target toxicity. The design of PDCs involves three key components: a targeting peptide, a linker, and a payload (therapeutic drug). The peptide is typically selected based on its ability to recognize and bind to overexpressed receptors on diseased cells, ensuring precise drug delivery. The linker plays a crucial role in controlling drug release, which can be triggered by specific conditions like enzymatic cleavage or pH changes in the tumor microenvironment. Compared to antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), PDCs offer advantages such as smaller size, better tissue penetration, and lower immunogenicity. They are particularly promising for targeting intracellular pathways, where antibodies may struggle to enter. Advances in peptide engineering, including modifications to enhance stability and binding affinity, have further improved the efficacy of PDCs in preclinical and clinical settings. PDCs are being explored in various therapeutic areas, including oncology, infectious diseases, and metabolic disorders. As research progresses, optimizing peptide selection, linker chemistry, and payload potency will be critical in developing next-generation PDCs with superior safety and efficacy profiles. Peptide-drug Conjugate Market Insights North America dominated the global peptide drug conjugates market in 2024, accounting for the largest share of 56.70%. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 28.47% from 2025 to 2032, primarily driven by the increasing incidence of cancer in the U.S. Additionally, the region's market growth is fueled by rising collaborations among key industry players for PDC development and increasing investments in this sector. Furthermore, major companies in North America are emphasizing research and development to create innovative peptide-drug conjugates. For instance, in February 2021, Theratechnologies Inc. announced that the U.S. FDA granted fast-track designation to TH1902, a docetaxel-based peptide-drug conjugate, for treating patients with sortilin-positive recurrent advanced solid tumors that are resistant to standard therapies. In addition, in April 2024, Novartis, which already has two FDA-approved PDC drugs, expanded its collaboration with PeptiDream to further develop peptide-drug conjugates in a deal exceeding USD 2.8 billion. These factors collectively contribute to the anticipated growth of the peptide drug conjugates market in the region. To know more about why North America is leading the market growth in the PDC market, get a snapshot of the Peptide-drug Conjugate Market Outlook Peptide-drug Conjugate Market Dynamics The peptide-drug conjugate market is witnessing significant growth, driven by advancements in targeted therapies and the increasing prevalence of cancer and other chronic diseases. PDCs combine the specificity of peptides with the potency of cytotoxic drugs, offering an improved therapeutic index compared to traditional chemotherapy. With growing interest in precision medicine, pharmaceutical companies are heavily investing in PDC research and development, leading to an expanding pipeline of clinical candidates. One of the key market drivers is the rising demand for novel drug delivery systems that enhance efficacy while minimizing off-target effects. Peptides, due to their high specificity and low immunogenicity, serve as excellent carriers for cytotoxic payloads. Additionally, advancements in peptide synthesis and linker technologies have improved the stability and half-life of PDCs, making them more viable for clinical applications. Companies such as Bicycle Therapeutics and PeptiDream are leading the innovation in this space. Despite the promising outlook, the PDC market faces challenges such as manufacturing complexities, high development costs, and regulatory hurdles. Peptide synthesis and conjugation processes require stringent quality control, and scalability remains a concern. Furthermore, competition from other targeted therapies, such as ADCs and small-molecule inhibitors, poses a challenge for widespread adoption. Looking ahead, growth opportunities exist in expanding indications beyond oncology, such as antimicrobial, autoimmune, and neurodegenerative diseases. Strategic collaborations between biotech firms and large pharmaceutical companies are accelerating clinical development, while advancements in artificial intelligence and computational modeling are further refining peptide design and optimization. With ongoing innovations and increasing investments, the PDC market is poised for substantial expansion in the coming years. Get a sneak peek at the PDC market dynamics @ Peptide-drug Conjugate Market Dynamics Analysis Peptide-drug Conjugate Market Assessment Peptide-drug Conjugate Market Segmentation Peptide-drug Conjugate Market Segmentation By Product: LUTATHERA (lutetium Lu 177 dotatate), PEPAXTI (Melphalan flufenamide), and PLUVICTO (lutetium Lu 177 vipivotide tetraxetan) Peptide-drug Conjugate Market Segmentation By Cancer Type: Prostate Cancer, Gastrointestinal Cancer, Multiple Myeloma Peptide-drug Conjugate Market Segmentation By Geography: North America, Europe, Asia-Pacific, and Rest of World Porter's Five Forces Analysis, Product Profiles, Case Studies, KOL's Views, Analyst's View Which MedTech key players in the PDC market are set to emerge as the trendsetter explore @ Peptide-drug Conjugate Companies Table of Contents Interested in knowing the PDC market by 2032? Click to get a snapshot of the Peptide-drug Conjugate Market Trends Related Reports Antibody-drug Conjugates in Oncology Competitive Landscape Antibody-drug Conjugates in Oncology Competitive Landscape – 2025 report provides comprehensive insights about the pipeline landscape, pipeline drug profiles, including clinical and non-clinical stage products, and the key ADC in oncology companies, including Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine Co., Bio-Thera Solutions, MediLink Therapeutics, Byondis, AbbVie, Oxford BioTherapeutics, Iksuda Therapeutics, Novelty Nobility, LegoChem Biosciences, DualityBio, Lepu Biopharma, Ambrx, CSPC ZhongQi Pharmaceutical Technology, MacroGenics, ADC Therapeutics, Genor Biopharma, CStone Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca, Alteogen, Biocity Biopharmaceutics, among others. Antibody-drug Conjugates Competitive Landscape Antibody-drug Conjugates Competitive Landscape – 2025 report provides comprehensive insights about the pipeline landscape, pipeline drug profiles, including clinical and non-clinical stage products, and the key ADC companies, including Sorrento Therapeutics, Ambrx, MacroGenics, SOTIO Biotech, Klus Pharma, BioAtla, BiOneCure Therapeutics, Shanghai Miracogen, ProfoundBio, ImmunoGen, Arcus Biosciences, CytomX Therapeutics, RemeGen, Bliss Biopharmaceutical, Aivita Biomedical, CoImmune, Zenith Epigenetics, Sutro Biopharma, Ambrx, Mythic Therapeutics, Shanghai Fudan-Zhangjiang Bio-Pharmaceutical, Byondis, MediLink Therapeutics (Suzhou), Oncomatryx Biopharma, MacroGenics, Shanghai Miracogen, Mirati Therapeutics, Ambrx, Orum Therapeutics, Silverback Therapeutics, Shanghai Fudan-Zhangjiang Bio-Pharmaceutical, Aivita Biomedical, Northwest Biotherapeutics, Daiichi Sankyo, Merck, Pfizer, GSK, AstraZeneca, Eisai, FOSUN PHARMA, LaNova, Mabwell Therapeutics, MBRACE THERAPEUTICS, MINGHUSI PHARMACEUTICALS, BioNTech , Bio-Thera, Corbus Pharmaceuticals, AbbVie, Multitude Therapeutics, Innovent, OnCusp Therapeutics, Simcere, Ymmunobio, Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine, among others. Antibody-drug Conjugates Market Antibody Drug Conjugates Market Size, Target Population, Competitive Landscape & Market Forecast – 2034 report deliver an in-depth understanding of the disease, historical and forecasted epidemiology, as well as the market trends, market drivers, market barriers, and key ADC companies, including Sorrento Therapeutics, Ambrx, MacroGenics, SOTIO Biotech, Klus Pharma, BioAtla, BiOneCure Therapeutics, Shanghai Miracogen, ProfoundBio, ImmunoGen, Arcus Biosciences, CytomX Therapeutics, RemeGen, Bliss Biopharmaceutical, Aivita Biomedical, CoImmune, Zenith Epigenetics, Sutro Biopharma, Ambrx, Mythic Therapeutics, Shanghai Fudan-Zhangjiang Bio-Pharmaceutical, Byondis, MediLink Therapeutics (Suzhou), Oncomatryx Biopharma, MacroGenics, Shanghai Miracogen, Mirati Therapeutics, Ambrx, Orum Therapeutics, Silverback Therapeutics, Shanghai Fudan-Zhangjiang Bio-Pharmaceutical, Aivita Biomedical, Northwest Biotherapeutics, Daiichi Sankyo, Merck, Pfizer, GSK, AstraZeneca, Eisai, FOSUN PHARMA, LaNova, Mabwell Therapeutics, MBRACE THERAPEUTICS, MINGHUSI PHARMACEUTICALS, BioNTech , Bio-Thera, Corbus Pharmaceuticals, AbbVie, Multitude Therapeutics, Innovent, OnCusp Therapeutics, Simcere, Ymmunobio, Jiangsu Hengrui Medicine, among others. Bispecific Antibody Competitive Landscape Bispecific Antibody Competitive Landscape – 2025 report provides comprehensive insights about the pipeline landscape, pipeline drug profiles, including clinical and non-clinical stage products, and the key bispecific antibodies companies, including Janssen, Amgen, Akeso, Zymeworks, Roche, IGM Biosciences, MacroGenics, Provention Bio, Jiangsu Alphamab Biopharmaceuticals, Sichuan Baili Pharmaceutical, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Boehringer Ingelheim, among others. About DelveInsight DelveInsight is a leading Business Consultant, and Market Research firm focused exclusively on life sciences. It supports pharma companies by providing comprehensive end-to-end solutions to improve their performance. Contact Us Shruti Thakur [email protected] +14699457679 Logo: SOURCE DelveInsight Business Research, LLP WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED

Agreement grants access to Synaffix patent portfolio related to metal-free click chemistry Technology to be used in Illumina's next-generation sequencing (NGS) products AMSTERDAM, Dec. 4, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- Synaffix B.V., a Lonza company (SIX:LONN) focused on commercializing its clinical-stage bioconjugation platform technology for the development of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) with best-in-class therapeutic index and beyond, today announced it has entered into a licensing agreement with Illumina, Inc. (NASDAQ: ILMN), a global leader in DNA sequencing and array-based technologies. The agreement grants Illumina access to Synaffix's patented metal-free click chemistry technology. Synaffix's patented metal-free click chemistry will be used in relation to certain Illumina next-generation sequencing (NGS) products. Floris van Delft, Head of Research and Development at Synaffix, said: "At Synaffix, we are deploying a superior probe, bicyclononyne (BCN), for metal-free click chemistry for the highly selective generation of site-specific and stable antibody-drug conjugates for targeted treatment of cancer. There are also many other therapeutic applications and beyond, such as diagnostics and materials science, that can benefit from the unique chemical coupling properties of BCN. This transaction with Illumina serves as a testament to our ongoing commitment to deploy our innovative technologies in such new areas as we contribute towards making large-scale, whole-genome sequencing more accessible." Notes to Editors 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 potentially 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 existing deals with ADC Therapeutics, Mersana Therapeutics, Shanghai Miracogen (acquired by Lepu Biopharma), Innovent Biologics, ProfoundBio (acquired by Genmab), Kyowa Kirin, Genmab, Macrogenics, Amgen, Hummingbird Biosciences, Chong Kun Dang Pharma, ABL Bio, SOTIO Biotech, BigHat Biosciences and Kivu Bioscience. Synaffix was fully acquired by Lonza in June 2023. About The Synaffix ADC Platform Technology Synaffix's proprietary ADC technology platform consists of clinical-stage GlycoConnect®, HydraSpace® and toxSYN® technologies. These technologies are aimed at enabling best-in-class ADCs from any antibody, with significantly enhanced efficacy and tolerability. GlycoConnect® conjugation technology exploits the native antibody glycan for site-specific and stable payload attachment and is tunable to any DAR format between 1 and 8. HydraSpace® compact and highly polar spacer technology further enhances therapeutic index, particularly with hydrophobic payloads. The toxSYN® linker-payload platform spans key, validated MOAs for ADC development, including potent topoisomerase 1 inhibitor (SYNtecan E™), DNA damaging agents (SYNeamicin D™ and SYNeamicin G™) and microtubule inhibitors (SYNtansine™, SYNstatin E™ and SYNstatin F™). Several unlaunched proprietary linker-payloads are being generated through the ongoing innovative efforts of the Synaffix R&D team. For example, the newest proprietary linker-payload SYN-PNU™ represents a significantly potency-attenuated and better tolerated version of PNU-159,687 (a nemorubicin metabolite), designed with the objective to enable enhanced administered dose levels and competitive therapeutic properties versus ADCs loaded with the original PNU molecule. The combination of these three technologies provides developers with a "one stop" and easy-to-use ADC technology platform, allowing any antibody developer to develop its own proprietary ADC and any ADC developer to expand its pipeline further and increase its competitive position. About Lonza Lonza is a preferred global partner to the pharmaceutical, biotech and nutrition markets. We work to enable a healthier world by supporting our customers to deliver new and innovative medicines that help treat a wide range of diseases. We achieve this by combining technological insight with world-class manufacturing, scientific expertise and process excellence. Our business is structured to meet our customers' complex needs across four divisions: Biologics, Small Molecules, Cell & Gene and Capsules & Health Ingredients. Our unparalleled breadth of offerings across divisions enables our customers to commercialize their discoveries and innovations in the healthcare industry. Lonza's ambition is to improve the lives of patients by supporting and enabling our customers on the path to commercialization. Founded in 1897 in the Swiss Alps, today, Lonza operates across five continents. With approximately 17,500 full-time employees, we comprise high-performing teams and individual talent who make a meaningful difference to our own business, as well as to the communities in which we operate. The company generated sales of CHF 3.1 billion with a CORE EBITDA of CHF 922 million in Half-Year 2023. Find out more at Follow @Lonza on LinkedIn Follow @LonzaGroup on Twitter SOURCE Synaffix B.V. WANT YOUR COMPANY'S NEWS FEATURED ON PRNEWSWIRE.COM? 440k+ Newsrooms & Influencers 9k+ Digital Media Outlets 270k+ Journalists Opted In GET STARTED