Australian biopharmaceutical company Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited (ASX: TLX) has signed an agreement with French company ATONCO S.A.S. to study the use of Telix’s MTR (Molecularly Targeted Radiation) technology.
The licensing and development agreement will allow ATONCO to study the use of MTR technology for the treatment of non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer that is resistant to standard therapies.
Under the agreement, ATONCO will receive a license to select components from Telix’s antibody portfolio for use with astatine-211, an alpha-emitting radioisotope, with the aim of treating bladder cancer that no longer responds to standard therapies.
Dr Christian Behrenbruch, CEO of Telix, stated that astatine-211 emits alpha particles with a favorable emission profile well suited to bladder cancer, as it delivers highly localized anti-tumor radiation with minimal impact on surrounding tissues.
Under the agreement, Telix may receive development milestone payments of approximately AUD 30 million, as well as royalties in the event of successful commercialization. Telix retains a right to re-acquire the program in the event of compelling clinical data.
“This collaboration with ATONCO represents a new milestone for Telix,” said Dr Behrenbruch. “While we maintain a disciplined focus on our prostate, kidney, and brain cancer programs, this collaboration demonstrates the appeal of our intellectual property to other companies and allows our assets to be developed for new cancer indications beyond Telix’s primary areas of interest, while giving us the opportunity to re-annex the program if compelling clinical data warrants it.”
Professor Jean-François Chatal, CEO of ATONCO, stated that the collaboration with Telix Pharmaceuticals is driven by the clinical potential of alpha immunotherapy for refractory non-muscle-invasive bladder cancer.
“This is truly a clinical indication with currently unmet therapeutic efficacy that could benefit from a new treatment thanks to the characteristics of antibody-targeted astatine-211.”
In 2018, bladder cancer was the fifth most common cancer in the United States, with an estimated 82,501 new cases diagnosed and 17,755 deaths. ATONCO is a French private company developing radiopharmaceutical products for oncological applications. Originating from the world-class radiochemistry hub that includes the Nantes University Hospital and the Public Interest Group (GIP) ARRONAX, ATONCO and its academic collaborators are dedicated to the clinical use of astatine-211.
About Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited
Telix Pharmaceuticals Limited is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing diagnostic and therapeutic products using Molecularly Targeted Radiation (MTR). The company is headquartered in Melbourne with international offices in Brussels (EU), Kyoto (JP), and Indianapolis (US). Telix is developing a portfolio of clinical-stage oncology products addressing significant unmet medical needs in prostate, kidney, and brain (glioblastoma) cancers. Telix is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX: TLX).
For more information, visit www.telixpharma.com
About ATONCO
ATONCO is a French private company developing molecularly targeted radiopharmaceutical products for oncological applications. Originating from the world-class nuclear medicine centre in Nantes, ATONCO and its partners are committed to the clinical use of alpha-emitting radionuclides, particularly astatine-211 (²¹¹At).
For more information, visit www.atonco-pharma.com