GSK invests millions in new leukaemia drug
pharmafile | December 20, 2006 | News story | Sales and Marketing |Â Â Â
UK-based GlaxoSmithKline has pledged a total of £235 million towards developing and selling a new cancer drug.
It has teamed up with Genmab, a biotech company based in Copenhagen, to develop the Danish company's HuMax-CD20, a fully human monoclonal antibody in late-stage development for positive B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia and follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.
The drug is also in phase II trials for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
If HuMax (ofatumumab) reaches full commercial success, GSK says the deal could eventually cost the company around £1 billion – on top of double-digit royalty payments to Genmab on global sales.
Dr Moncef Slaoui, GSK's chairman of research and development, said: "We believe this alliance is a significant step for GSK and Genmab. By combining the skills and knowledge of Genmab in developing fully human antibodies, such as HuMax-CD20, and the substantial experience of GSK in clinical and commercial development, we hope to be able to bring this innovative and potentially valuable medicine to patients as soon as possible."
HuMax is a human antibody that binds to the CD20 antigen on the surface of white cells that normally play a positive role in the immune system. Since certain lymphomas and leukaemias arise from the same sources as white blood cells, these cancers frequently have CD20 on the surface.
When HuMax binds to CD20, the antibody recruits the body's natural defences to attack and kill these selected cancer cells.
B-cell chronic lymphocytic leukaemia is the most common form of the disease in western Europe and the US, accounting for more than 95% of leukaemia diagnoses.
Follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma is the second most common lymphoma in Europe and the US, responsible for approximately 5% of all US cancer deaths.
Genmab will have also have option to co-promote GSK's other cancer drugs, Bexxar and Arranon in the US and Atriance in certain Nordic countries.
Lisa N Drakeman, Genmab's chief executive, commented: "We are looking forward to our collaboration and working together to maximise the value of this product that has the potential to benefit so many patients with different diseases."
