Date: 2016-05-05
Type of information: R&D agreement
Compound: Accurins® designed to bind immuno-oncology targets
Company: Bind Therapeutics (USA - MA) Affilogics (France)
Therapeutic area: Cancer - Oncology
Type agreement: R&D collaboration
Action mechanism: Accurins™ are polymeric nanoparticles that incorporate a therapeutic payload and are designed to have prolonged circulation within the bloodstream, enable targeting of the diseased tissue or cells, and provide for the controlled and timely release of the therapeutic payload. Tissue targeting is achieved by engineering the physical and chemical properties—size, shape and surface properties—of the Accurin to allow it to escape through gaps in the blood vessels surrounding tumors and other disease sites. Cellular targeting is achieved using proprietary targeting ligands on the surface of the Accurin that binds to specific cell surfaces or tissue markers. Accurins are designed with specific polymers that provide for the controlled and timely release of the therapeutic payload. Upon administration, the therapeutic payload begins to diffuse through the polymeric matrix. Subsequently, the polymer breaks down to lactic acid, a compound naturally found in the body. If the therapeutic payload releases before the Accurins accumulate at the disease site, the Accurins will be unable to effectively increase drug concentration in the diseased tissue and the anticipated therapeutic impact will be minimized or lost. Similarly, if the therapeutic payload is not released, or releases too slowly, the anticipated therapeutic impact will be lost or minimized and new toxicities may be created. By combining prolonged circulation, triple targeting and controlled and timely release of the therapeutic payload, Accurins have the potential to significantly increase the net clinical benefit associated with the therapeutic payload and result in efficacy and safety currently not achievable through other therapeutic modalities. Nanofitins® are small affinity proteins that can be easily conjugated to other moieties (small molecule, biologics, nanoparticles) by genetic fusion or standard chemistry (regioselective conjugation). This enables to consider a Nanofitin® not only as a neutralizing agent but also as a vector to increase target-specificity and enable cellular uptake. Nanofitins® demonstrate many small molecule-like attributes such as a very small size (20 times smaller than a monoclonal antibody), an extreme robustness and a better tissue penetration. Deriving from a naturally hyperstable scaffold, Nanofitins® are resistant to temperature and pH, are spontaneously refolding and stable to proteases. Nanofitins® are produced by simple, scaleable, GMP- compliant bacterial fermentation at very attractive costs or by chemical synthesis.
Disease:
Details: * On May 5, 2016, Bind Therapeutics announced a research collaboration with Affilogic, a privately held biotechnology company developing affinity proteins called Nanofitins® that selectively bind and interact with identified targets. Under terms of the collaboration, Bind will utilize Nanofitins® as targeting ligand components for Accurins® designed to bind immuno-oncology targets. Upon achievement of proof-of-concept, Bind anticipates expanding the collaboration to develop Accurins® that incorporate unique combinations of immuno-oncology targeting ligands and new classes of payloads, including oligonucleotides and molecularly targeted therapies. Accurins® are polymeric nanoparticles that encapsulate and control the release of therapeutic payloads with diverse physical and chemical properties. Additionally, the surface of these nanopartiles can be functionalized with a variety of biologically active ligands, potentially with multiple types of ligands on the same particle. Bind's collaboration with Affilogic is intended to investigate the use of Nanofitins® protein ligands that bind to important immune regulators. This early research collaboration is not expected to have a material financial impact on BIND Therapeutics. Additional terms of the collaboration have not been disclosed. During the quarter, BIND initiated in vivo studies aimed at characterizing the ability of ACCURINS® to affect pharmacokinetic, biodistribution, cellular uptake and gene silencing activity of oligonucleotide therapeutics. In addition, the Company has initiated formulation efforts to develop ACCURINS® containing small molecule inhibitors of TGF-beta signaling.
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