Genome & Co.

LAUSANNE, Switzerland & SUWON-SI GYEONGGI-DO, South Korea--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Debiopharm ( ), a privately-owned, Swiss-based, biopharmaceutical company aiming to establish tomorrow’s standard-of-care to cure cancer and infectious diseases, today announced the signing of an exclusive licensing agreement with Genome & Company ( ), a publicly-traded, South Korea-based, biotechnology company focusing on discovery and development of novel target antibody therapeutics, for the development of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) with first-in-class potential. The agreement offers Debiopharm exclusive global rights to develop ADCs combining specific Genome and Company antibodies with Debiopharm’s innovative linker technology, Multilink™, to create highly innovative therapeutic agents to outsmart hard-to-treat cancers. ADCs are cutting-edge oncology therapeutics that combine three components: a monoclonal antibody, a stable linker and one or more potent cytotoxic payload. These targeted compounds identify and dock onto specific antigens on cancer cell surfaces and promote targeted delivery of toxic payloads to antigen-expressing cancer cells. This modality improves therapeutic effectiveness while diminishing systemic toxicity and side effects typically associated with conventional cancer treatments. This distinctive capacity to selectively eliminate cancer cells while preserving healthy tissues has granted visibility to ADCs within the pharmaceutical development community. With the ever-growing interest in ADC development, linker design has increasingly become a critical determining factor, as few linkers provide satisfactory stability required for specific and effective drug release. “Building on our fruitful collaboration with Genome & Company, the potential of developing this novel antibody family with our proprietary MultilinkTM cleavable linker technology is an exciting opportunity. We recognized that Genome’s innovative antibodies were the right fit for our development focus due to the novelty of the target and its expression in tumor types with high unmet needs” expressed Frederic Levy, Chief Scientific Officer. “This extended collaboration with Genome & Company’s antibody against a novel target represents our commitment to form strategic partnerships for the development of first-in-class and best-in-class ADCs leveraging our proprietary Multilink™ technology, offering unique linker characteristics that grant a higher stability and DAR, thereby optimizing treatment specificity and effectiveness.” Debiopharm is focused on further expanding their ADC platform, exploring proprietary novel bispecific ADCs and potential game changing technologies such as novel payloads, dual payloads, and degraders, leveraging their solid drug development experience to accelerate ADC products to patients. “This agreement represents our first out-license deal in the field of novel target anti-cancer therapy of Genome & Company, and we were able to achieve meaningful results in early preclinical stage based on our excellent research and development capabilities,” commented Yoo Seok Hong, CEO of Genome & Company. “We expect to show results from our subsequent pipeline of novel target anti-cancer drugs in the near future, leveraging this license deal.” About Multilink™ Multilink™ is a new cleavable linker platform suited for multidrug attachment and compatible with any conjugation technology to produce ADCs with high DAR (drug-to-antibody ratio). This unique and innovative technology allows the loading of multiple payloads on an antibody for an enhanced therapeutic effect. This highly effective and well-tolerated linker platform is available for use by other specialty biotech or pharmaceutical companies to generate proprietary, clinical-stage ADCs. Debiopharm’s ADC Portfolio Our ADC portfolio consists of carefully selected targets with 1st-in-class or best-in-class potential, including Debio 1562M, a CD37-targeted ADC for the treatment of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) Myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and Debio 0532, an HER3-targeted ADC for solid tumors. Key partnerships also comprise options to in-licence bispecific antibodies targeting HER2-HER3 and HER3-EGFR along with other further undisclosed targets. Our ADCs are designed with MultiLinkTM proprietary cleavable linker technology, allowing both high DAR and high stability. Debio 1562M, the CD37 ADC with a novel DM1 derivative payload, represents our most advanced program, expected to reach the clinic in 2025. We are continuing to invest in our ADC platform, exploring potential game changing technologies such as novel and dual payloads or degraders, leveraging our solid development experience to accelerate ADC products to patients. About Genome & Company Genome & Company is a South Korean-based biotechnology company specializing in discovery and development of novel cancer target antibodies as stand-alone therapy and antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) applications. The company leverages its GNOCLE™ drug discovery and development platform, a unique bed-to-bench approach based on real-world clinical data. About Debiopharm Debiopharm develops innovative therapies that target high unmet medical needs in oncology and infectious diseases. Bridging the gap between disruptive discovery products and international patient reach, we identify high-potential compounds and technologies for in-licensing, clinically demonstrate their safety and efficacy and then select large pharmaceutical commercialization partners to maximize patient access globally.

LONDON, UK I February 11, 2025 I Ellipses Pharma Limited (“Ellipses”), a global drug development company focused on accelerating the development of cancer treatments through an innovative drug development model, announced today it is to develop a next-generation immuno-oncology drug which could address the needs of cancer patients who do not respond to existing checkpoint inhibitors. Ellipses has agreed to in-license global rights to ‘GENA-104’, a first-in-class immuno-oncology monoclonal antibody that targets CNTN4, a recently discovered checkpoint protein that is highly expressed in a wide range of tumour types. ‘GENA-104’ was first discovered by Genome & Company (“Genome”), a South Korea-based biotechnology company focusing on discovery and development of novel cancer target antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Under the agreement with Genome, Ellipses will take responsibility for all future clinical development of GENA-104 under the identifier EP0089. In October 2024, key research findings were published in the prestigious journal Science Immunology , demonstrating the potential of EP0089 to target CNTN4 as a novel immuno-oncology treatment strategy. A Phase 1 IND for EP0089 was approved by the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in January 2024. Ellipses expects to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial in South Korea during 2025 with expansion of involvement to the US and Europe following the relevant regulatory approvals. Professor Sir Chris Evans, OBE, Executive Chair of Ellipses, commented: “We are delighted to be taking forward this very exciting drug candidate through the clinical trial process. The outstanding potential of EP0089 fits well with our strategy of identifying the very best drug candidates, developing them at pace and getting them to patients as fast as possible.” Professor Tobias Arkenau, Global Head of Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer of Ellipses commented: “We are very excited to in-license EP0089, the first biological agent to be added to our pipeline. Targeting CNTN4 is a new approach that blocks the CNTN4-APP checkpoint interaction on T cells, promoting tumour cell killing. This approach could be particularly of interest across a range of cancers which respond poorly to conventional checkpoint inhibitors.” Y.S. (Yoo Seok) Hong, CEO of Genome & Company, commented: “ GENA-104’s excellent potential as a novel target immuno-oncology agent has already been confirmed through preclinical studies, and with the IND approval for a phase 1 trial in Korea, we look forward to Ellipses Pharma utilising its strong financial resources and extensive experience and capabilities in oncology drug development to take forward GENA-104 as a novel immuno-oncology agent.” About Ellipses Ellipses Pharma Limited is a global drug development company headquartered in London, focused on accelerating the development of cancer treatments through an innovative drug development model that combines unbiased vetting to de-risk initial asset selection, the expertise of a Scientific Affairs Group, which comprises more than 300 leading oncologists, and an uninterrupted funding flow to minimise the time it takes to advance lead products through clinical trials and reach patients. www.ellipses.life About Genome & Company Genome & Company is a South Korea-based biotechnology company specialising in discovery and development of novel cancer target antibodies as stand-alone therapy and antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) applications. The company leverages its GNOCLE™ drug discovery and development platform, a unique bed-to-bench approach based on real-world clinical data. http://www.genomecom.co.kr SOURCE: Ellipses Pharma

LONDON--( BUSINESS WIRE )--Ellipses Pharma Limited (“Ellipses”), a global drug development company focused on accelerating the development of cancer treatments through an innovative drug development model, announced today it is to develop a next-generation immuno-oncology drug which could address the needs of cancer patients who do not respond to existing checkpoint inhibitors. Ellipses has agreed to in-license global rights to ‘GENA-104’, a first-in-class immuno-oncology monoclonal antibody that targets CNTN4, a recently discovered checkpoint protein that is highly expressed in a wide range of tumour types. ‘GENA-104’ was first discovered by Genome & Company (“Genome”), a South Korea-based biotechnology company focusing on discovery and development of novel cancer target antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). Under the agreement with Genome, Ellipses will take responsibility for all future clinical development of GENA-104 under the identifier EP0089. In October 2024, key research findings were published in the prestigious journal Science Immunology , demonstrating the potential of EP0089 to target CNTN4 as a novel immuno-oncology treatment strategy. A Phase 1 IND for EP0089 was approved by the South Korean Ministry of Food and Drug Safety in January 2024. Ellipses expects to initiate a Phase 1 clinical trial in South Korea during 2025 with expansion of involvement to the US and Europe following the relevant regulatory approvals. Professor Sir Chris Evans, OBE, Executive Chair of Ellipses, commented: “We are delighted to be taking forward this very exciting drug candidate through the clinical trial process. The outstanding potential of EP0089 fits well with our strategy of identifying the very best drug candidates, developing them at pace and getting them to patients as fast as possible.” Professor Tobias Arkenau, Global Head of Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer of Ellipses commented: “We are very excited to in-license EP0089, the first biological agent to be added to our pipeline. Targeting CNTN4 is a new approach that blocks the CNTN4-APP checkpoint interaction on T cells, promoting tumour cell killing. This approach could be particularly of interest across a range of cancers which respond poorly to conventional checkpoint inhibitors.” Y.S. (Yoo Seok) Hong, CEO of Genome & Company, commented: “ GENA-104’s excellent potential as a novel target immuno-oncology agent has already been confirmed through preclinical studies, and with the IND approval for a phase 1 trial in Korea, we look forward to Ellipses Pharma utilising its strong financial resources and extensive experience and capabilities in oncology drug development to take forward GENA-104 as a novel immuno-oncology agent.” About Ellipses Ellipses Pharma Limited is a global drug development company headquartered in London, focused on accelerating the development of cancer treatments through an innovative drug development model that combines unbiased vetting to de-risk initial asset selection, the expertise of a Scientific Affairs Group, which comprises more than 300 leading oncologists, and an uninterrupted funding flow to minimise the time it takes to advance lead products through clinical trials and reach patients. www.ellipses.life About Genome & Company Genome & Company is a South Korea-based biotechnology company specialising in discovery and development of novel cancer target antibodies as stand-alone therapy and antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) applications. The company leverages its GNOCLE™ drug discovery and development platform, a unique bed-to-bench approach based on real-world clinical data. http://www.genomecom.co.kr