Boan Biotech announced that the first patient has been dosed in the Phase 1 clinical trial of BA1302, a novel CD228-directed antibody drug conjugate (ADC), which is the only CD228 ADC undergoing clinical development worldwide.
With a novel target and a superior structure, BA1302 has high potential for pan-tumor indications
CD228 is highly expressed in various solid tumors, including melanoma, breast cancer, non-small cell lung cancer, mesothelioma, colorectal cancer and pancreatic cancer, with low expression in normal tissues, which makes CD228 an ideal target. BA1302 employs a cleavable hydrophilic linker to conjugate the cytotoxic payload MMAE to a CD228 monoclonal antibody via interchain cysteine. This enables the antibody to specifically deliver the payload into the tumor tissues, exerting an anti-tumor effect while reducing the toxicity and expanding the therapeutic window.
Preclinical studies demonstrated that BA1302 was highly potent in terms of internalization and the bystander effect, effectively inhibiting tumor growth in various patient-derived xenograft (PDX) models, which indicates that it’s a promising drug candidate either as a monotherapy or in combination with other therapies in pan-tumor indications. Compared with marketed ADCs utilizing MMAE as the payload, BA1302 exhibited a longer half-life, higher exposure, and better safety and tolerability profiles in cynomolgus monkeys.
Boan Biotech is upgrading its ADC platform to drive innovation
Boan Biotech has been working on targets, antibodies, linker-payloads, and has developed more stable and effective linker-payloads, therefore, a more optimized ADC platform. The company’s development pipeline includes two ADC candidates undergoing clinical trials, Claudin18.2 ADC (BA1301) and CD228 ADC (BA1302), as well as several other innovative drug candidates, including bispecific ADCs.
Dr. Dou Changlin, President of R&D and Chief Operating Officer at Boan Biotech, said: “We have built a robust pipeline that includes several potential ‘first-in-class’ and ‘best-in-class’ candidates based on our evolving platforms. Pursuing an ‘IO+ADC’ strategy, we are working on the combination of innovative drugs across different targets with Boan’s PD-1 and VEGF inhibitors for a variety of indications. This will enhance our chance of success in clinical development and improve the standard of care for multiple life-threatening diseases. We’ll accelerate the clinical development of BA1302 to deliver a breakthrough therapy for cancer patients.”
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