Key Takeaways
- OSE Immunotherapeutics is reorganizing its pipeline after the termination of its MASH candidate partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim.
- The company is refocusing on two main assets while halting development on several projects that no longer align with its priorities.
- Lusvertikimab and Tedopi are the key candidates moving forward, targeting various conditions including ulcers and cancers.
Pipeline Restructuring at OSE Immunotherapeutics
OSE Immunotherapeutics has announced another round of restructuring, this time discontinuing its metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) candidate following Boehringer Ingelheim’s withdrawal. This decision comes on the heels of a similar retreat by AbbVie from OSE’s inflammation drug late last year, prompting OSE to streamline its focus to conserve funds.
The French biotech revealed that Boehringer will stop the MASH program involving patients with liver cirrhosis, although it will continue to develop the asset, named BI 770371, for oncology. This candidate is now being evaluated both as a monotherapy and in conjunction with a PD-1 inhibitor for patients with advanced solid tumors, along with potential applications in treating recurrent head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. BI 770371 functions by obstructing the “don’t eat me” signals that allow tumors to escape immune detection, and it was found to be well tolerated in prior MASH trials.
Initially, OSE and Boehringer entered into a partnership in 2018, which included a deal value of up to $1.4 billion, later amended to extend into cardiovascular and metabolic diseases. Following the AbbVie exit, OSE is now concentrating on refining its research and development (R&D) strategy to align with a three-year plan disclosed in December.
Recent portfolio adjustments include halting the development of OSE-230, previously under AbbVie’s license. OSE is also terminating research on its CLEC-1 oncology program, as it does not align with immediate clinical objectives. As milestone payments from these affected programs are not anticipated in the next three years, OSE’s cash runway and financing strategies remain unaffected.
Moving forward, OSE is focusing on two primary assets: lusvertikimab and Tedopi. Lusvertikimab, an IL-7 antibody, is being investigated for conditions like ulcerative colitis and hidradenitis suppurativa. In contrast, Tedopi, a neo-epitope-based cancer vaccine, is under study for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), ovarian cancer, and pancreatic cancer. Data for a phase 2 ovarian cancer study of Tedopi is expected in the second quarter of this year, alongside anticipated readouts for NSCLC.
The company’s CEO, Marc Le Bozec, remarked on the strategic shift, stating that by discontinuing certain early-stage programs that offered limited prospects for value generation, OSE is reallocating resources to areas that promise the most significant near-term impact. He added that OSE continues to explore financing options to support its late-stage clinical endeavors effectively.
The content above is a summary. For more details, see the source article.