Samsung Bioepis partners with Phrontline on ADCs

South Korea-based Samsung Bioepis and Chinese biotech start-up Phrontline Biopharma have entered into a global collaboration agreement to develop, manufacture and commercialize two antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) assets: TJ108, bispecific and dual-payload ADC, and another asset to be named.

In addition, Samsung Bioepis will receive an exclusive license from Phrontline for one topoisomerase-1 inhibitor (TOP1i) payload which is applied to Samsung Bioepis’ ADC pipeline. Samsung Bioepis has previously announced moves to expand its presence outside of its core biosimilars business.

Phrontline’s TJ108 is TOP1i and tubulin inhibitor-based ADC directed against epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and human epidermal growth factor receptor 3 (HER3), targets that are overexpressed in a variety of cancers, which contribute to aggressive growth and metastasis.