Reported to be the world’s largest independent funder of cancer research, Cancer Research UK will provide funding for the exploratory development of Bicycle’s BT7401 candidate through a phase IIa clinical study.
Bicycle Therapeutics is engaged in the development of a novel class of medicines called Bicycles, which are fully synthetic short peptides constrained with small-molecule scaffolds to create two loops that stabilise their structural geometry.
BT1718, a Bicycle Toxin Conjugate (BTC) that targets MT1-MMP, is being assessed in an ongoing phase I/IIa clinical trial in partnership with the Centre for Drug Development of Cancer Research UK.
Bicycle CEO Dr Kevin Lee said: “This new collaboration marks yet another initiative designed to help us bring a potentially important Bicycle-based therapy to patients more efficiently. We are excited to extend our relationship with Cancer Research UK by collaborating with them on BT7401.”
BT7401, a chemically synthesised and multivalent small molecule agonist of CD137, includes Bicycles united by stable linkers through a central hinge.
According to the company, BT7401 has demonstrated significant pharmacologic activity in preclinical models and these results indicate that BT7401 may provide an improved therapeutic index compared against antibody-based approaches.
As per terms of the Clinical Development Partnerships agreement, Cancer Research UK’s Centre for Drug Development will finance and sponsor development of BT7401 from current preclinical studies through the completion of a Phase IIa study.
Bicycle holds the right to further accelerate the BT7401 programme, while Cancer Research UK is eligible to receive success-based milestones and royalty payments.
Cancer Research UK’s drug development director Dr Nigel Blackburn said:: “We’re delighted to be partnering again with Bicycle, building on our continuing relationship. Based on the preclinical data, we believe that BT7401 could offer improved anti-tumor activity with fewer side effects compared with antibody-based approaches, which so far have been limited by toxicity.”
In 2016, Cancer Research UK, Cancer Research Technology (CRT), and Bicycle Therapeutics have collaborated to trial a first-in-class drug for cancers of high unmet need.