Cambridge, UK, 16 April 2018 – Crescendo Biologics Ltd (Crescendo), the developer of multifunctional biologics, including targeted T-cell engagers, today announced that it has achieved the first major technical milestone under the terms of its collaboration with Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited (Takeda; TSE: 4502).
The global, strategic, multi-target collaboration and license agreement with Takeda was announced in October 2016. Under this agreement, Crescendo’s proprietary transgenic platform and engineering expertise is being used to identify and optimally configure Humabody®-based therapeutics against targets selected by Takeda.
This milestone, for an undisclosed amount, marks the successful delivery of a highly diverse panel of Humabody leads, directed to the first of Takeda’s selected targets.
Dr Peter Pack, CEO of Crescendo, commented:
“This milestone is an important step forward in our relationship with Takeda. It demonstrates our ability to deliver a diverse selection of characterised Humabody® molecules that meet the stringent specifications outlined in the agreement. In conjunction with Takeda’s deep expertise in the field of oncology, this exciting milestone provides further validation of Crescendo’s ability to create optimally configured Humabodies.
“This milestone demonstrates the potential of this innovative technology and brings us closer to our goal of developing next generation, highly modular and targeted biologics against cancer.”
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Notes To Editors
About Crescendo Biologics Ltd
Crescendo Biologics is a biopharmaceutical company developing potent, truly differentiated mono- and multifunctional Humabody® therapeutics in oncology with a proprietary pipeline focus on innovative targeted T-cell approaches.
At the heart of its proprietary pipeline, Crescendo has developed CB307, a novel bispecific PSMA-targeted T-cell engager for the selective activation of tumour-specific T-cells exclusively within the tumour microenvironment, thereby avoiding systemic toxicity. This highly modular format can be re-configured to create a pipeline of multiple therapeutic candidates each treating a different cancer indication, by targeting any of a range of alternative tumour-specific markers.
The Company’s ability to develop mono- and multi-functional Humabody® therapeutics is based on its unique, patent protected, transgenic mouse platform generating 100% human VH domain building blocks (Humabody® VH). These robust molecules can be configured to optimally engage therapeutic targets delivering novel biology and superior biodistribution. This results in larger therapeutic windows compared to conventional IgG-approaches.
Crescendo is pursuing novel Humabody®-based product opportunities, through in-house development and strategic partnerships, including multi-functional immuno-oncology modulators and Humabody® Drug Conjugates (HDCs), the next generation of ADCs. Humabody®-based formats can also be applied across a range of non-cancer indications.
Crescendo is located in Cambridge, UK, and is backed by blue-chip investors including Sofinnova Partners, IP Group, Takeda and Astellas.
For more information, please visit the website: www.crescendobiologics.com
Issued for and on behalf of Crescendo Biologics by Instinctif Partners.
For more information please contact:
Crescendo Biologics
Dr Peter Pack, CEO
Tel:44 (0)1223 497140
info@crescendobiologics.com
Instinctif Partners
Melanie Toyne-Sewell / Dr Christelle Kerouedan / Deborah Bell
Tel:44 (0)20 7457 2020
crescendo@instinctif.com