Molecular Partners and Orano Med expand partnership to develop Targeted Alpha Radio-Therapies for cancer
ZURICH-SCHLIEREN, Switzerland and CONCORD, Mass., and PARIS, Jan. 12, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Ad hoc announcement pursuant to Art. 53 LR – Molecular Partners AG (SIX: MOLN; NASDAQ: MOLN), a clinical-stage biotech company developing a new class of custom-built protein drugs known as DARPin therapeutics, and Orano Med, a clinical-stage radiopharmaceutical company and a pioneer in the development of targeted alpha-particle therapies (TAT) with 212Pb (lead-212), today announced the expansion of their strategic collaboration.
The terms of the new agreement include the development of an additional six targeted alpha therapeutics candidates, now representing a total of ten potential programs between the two companies. Molecular Partners will lead development of the additional six programs, subject to a royalty arrangement, and include an option for Orano Med to move two of the six programs into a 50/50 co-development where Orano Med will hold commercialization rights.
In January 2024, Molecular Partners and Orano Med entered into an initial agreement to co-develop four programs. equally sharing costs for preclinical and clinical development and profit from commercialized products. Molecular Partners holds commercialization rights for the first program, MP0712, a DLL3-targeted radio-DARPin, which is expected to move into first-in-human studies in 2025, pending regulatory clearance. Molecular Partners will also hold commercialization rights to the second program, targeting mesothelin, and Orano Med to programs three and four.
The partnership combines Molecular Partners’ unique and innovative Radio-DARPin Platform with Orano Med’s 212Pb supply, research and clinical development capabilities. Both groups have been working closely together over the past years, reducing drug candidate cycle times and enabling the generation of more drug candidates to novel targets, thereby pushing the boundaries of what is presently achievable by other technologies.
“We are excited to expand this relationship with Orano Med, representing the bold ambition and high synergy of both groups to build the largest radiotherapy pipeline in our space today. Both groups, having worked together over the past year, realize the unique potential of the other, and we have confidence in our abilities to provide novel and innovative targets for the delivery of radioactive isotopes, pushing the boundaries of what is presently targetable by other technologies,” said Patrick Amstutz, Ph.D., CEO of Molecular Partners.
“The expansion of our collaboration with Molecular Partners underscores the strength and efficiency of our combined approach. Together, we have established a platform capable of significantly reducing development timelines for lead-212-based Radio-DARPin drug candidates. This partnership exemplifies how strategic synergies can drive innovation and accelerate the delivery of next-generation targeted alpha therapies to patients, and further diversifies vectorization technology in Orano Med’s pipeline,” said Arnaud Lesegretain, CEO of Orano Med.
Financial terms of the agreement are not disclosed. Molecular Partners expects no immediate impact on its financial forecast for the fiscal year 2025 from the expansion of the co-development agreement and maintains its funding guidance into 2027.