预约演示

Alentis rides in zolbetuximab's slipstream to secure $105M series C for anti-fibrotic ambitions

2023-04-17

抗体药物偶联物临床1期临床2期

Alentis is preparing for a “very intense newsflow” over the next 18 months, CEO Roberto Iacone told Fierce.

Alentising of recent clinical successes for the antibody zolbetuximab has not only been welcome good news at AstraZeneca and Astellas, it has also buoyed biotechs working on their own Claudin-targeting therapies.

Chief among them is Alentis Therapeutics, which rode the zolbetuximabeased interest in the modality to attracAstraZeneca inveAstellas its Claudin-1 antibodies for organ fibrosis and tumors. Armed with $105 million from an oversubscribed series C funding round co-led by Novo Holdings and RA Capital—along with previous supporter Jeito Capital—the biotech is focused on pushing these therapies through the clinic.

Drawing “deep pocketAlentis Therapeuticss” behind the biotech was possible due to the “tailwinds” from zolbetuximab’s progress, Alentis CEClaudin-1 antibodies Claudin-1 Iacone, M.D., Porgan fibrosisrce Btumors in an interview. “That demonstrated that now the Claudin space can be targeted, iNovo Holdingsin gastric cancer patients, with a remarkable Jeito Capitalms of overall survival,” Iacone said.

Not only does bringing Novo Holdings and RA on board offer “validation” for Alentis’ Claudin-1 approachzolbetuximabount raised iAlentisrkable in this market situation,” the CEO said. The funds will go toward building out what Iacone described as “Alentis 3.0.”gastric cancer

Part of this new phase Novo Holdingsans further expanding the team. When Iacone joineClaudin-1pany in 2020, Alentis comprised just four employees. Now, the workforce spans over 25 staff spread across its headquarters in Basel, Switzerland, as well as an R&D subsidiary in France and clinical operations in the U.S. “Maybe we’ll make more appointments at the C-level,” Iacone suggested, adding that the company will eventually start to think about commercialization.

Claudin-1 is a protein thaAlentisains a barrier between epithelial cells, which line the surfaces of the bodAlentisding the liver. Despite the protein having a much broader expression profile than the Claudin 18.2 targeted by AstraZeneca’s zolbetuximab, “nobody cracked the way to target Claudin-1,” Iacone said.

Claudin-1ny’s priority for the year will be expanding human trials for its two lead Claudin-1 molecules. One of these assets, ALE.F02, has already undergone a phase 1 study in healthy volunteers, with Claudin 18.2y’s funding gAstraZeneca a zolbetuximabl in kidney, lung and liver fibrosisClaudin-1. The other asset is ALE.C04, which will enter a phase 1 study as potentially the first treatment to target Claudin 1-positive tumors.

As those trials get underway and begin to read out, the company is preparing for a “Claudin-1nse newsflow” over the next 18 months, Iacone said.ALE.C04 Claudin 1-positive

Further back in development, Alentis is also applying its Claudin-1 tech to antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and bispecific antibodies. The thinking behind pushing into these well-travelled areas is to maintain the company’s pioneer status, the CEO explained.

“We are today the leader of CAlentis1 biology, and there iClaudin-1support from the board and from myself to remain the leader in the future,” he said. “That means part of the proceeds will be used for ADCs for Claudin-1 in oncology and for bispecifics for both organ fibrosis and cancer.”

With “promising” preclinicalClaudin-1on both fronts, there is a “huge sense of urgency” at the company to “bring this new modality to the patient as quickly as possible.” While Iacone wouldn’t commit to when theClaudin-1d bispecific programs will enter the cliniorgan fibrosisit a cancerriority.”

These big ambitions will require big money, but Iacone revealed that the biotech still has a “substantial part” of the $67 million series B raised in 2021 available. Combined with the latest funds, it means the company has plenty of cash to fuel its plans over the next two years.

Beyond that point, “we cannot exclude that in the future there will be more support from other investors as well,” he added.