Roche, Excalipoint to Collaborate on Evaluation of Candidate for Solid Tumors

Editor’s Take: The pairing of a biotechnology company with a large pharmaceutical partner will help accelerate clinical trial performance.

Roche and Excalipoint Therapeutics are collaborating to evaluate Excalipoint’s tri-specific T-cell engager combined with Roche’s atezolizumab in DLL3-expressing solid tumors. Excalipoint launched in March as a clinical-stage biotechnology company advancing novel T-cell engager, or TCE, therapies.

The clinical trial collaboration puts into focus Excalipoint’s lead product candidate, EXP011 (CTM012), targeting the DLL3, CD3, and 4-1BB antigens.

Importance in Solid Tumor Treatment

For the proposed clinical studies, Roche will supply atezolizumab. The studies will evaluate safety, tolerability, and preliminary anti-tumor activity of EXP011 with atezolizumab in small cell lung cancer (SCLC).

Trials could eventually expand into other tumor types, like neuroendocrine tumors (NETs).

DLL3 is a tumor-specific antigen that is highly expressed in SCLC and NETs. EXP011 selectively targets this, as well as engaging CD3 and 4-1BB.

Excalipoint says the goal is to achieve potent, controlled, and synergistic T-cell activation and anti-tumor activity.

Excalipoint Enthusiastic About Roche Collab

Company co-founders Lei Fang, PhD, Chairman and CEO, and Jielun Zhu, Chief Financial & Business Officer, both offered their thoughts.

“This clinical collaboration will further crystallize the clinical value of EXP011 in solid tumors and accelerate global development,” Zhu said. “This partnership is also a strong endorsement of the potential of EXP011 in overcoming treatment barriers of existing therapies.”

“We are pleased to partner with Roche to explore the combination potential of EXP011 and atezolizumab for patients,” Fang said. “This collaboration enables us to evaluate a differentiated immuno-oncology combination strategy to address the limitations of current treatment regimens and deliver better clinical benefits for patients.”