Pharmaprojects R&D Pipeline News Feed
Oncomed Pharmaceuticals adds anticancer antibody to GlaxoSmithKline's pipeline
17 Dec 2007
Oncomed Pharmaceuticals has strengthened GlaxoSmithKline's cancer pipeline through a US$1.4bn strategic alliance for anticancer antibodies. The deal includes rights to OMP-12M18, a humanized monoclonal antibody which has a unique mechanism of action, targeting cancer stem cells.
It has shown high affinity and selectivity to its target, completely blocking ligand-receptor binding. It has also shown activity in a range of tumour models as a single agent and in combination with approved cancer treatments. Clinical trials are expected in 2008.
There are currently only 10 antibodies launched for cancer treatment, although this method has met with a high degree of commercial success – products include Genentech’s blockbusters bevacizumab (Avastin) and trastuzumab (Herceptin), BTG’s alemtuzumab (MabCampath) and ImClone’s Erbitux (cetuximab).
