AstraZeneca completes license agreement for new cancer drug candidate CMG901
AstraZeneca finalized an exclusive global license agreement with KYM Biosciences for CMG901. This potential first-in-class antibody drug conjugate targets Claudin-18.2, a promising target for gastric cancers.
Pharmaceutical company AstraZeneca has completed an exclusive global license agreement with KYM Biosciences for CMG901, a potential first-in-class antibody drug conjugate (ADC). The drug targets Claudin-18.2, a therapeutic target identified as promising for gastric cancers.
CMG901 is currently undergoing Phase I clinical trials to evaluate its efficacy in treating Claudin-18.2-positive solid tumors, including gastric cancer. Early results from the trial have indicated encouraging anti-tumor activity across the tested dose levels.
The agreement includes an upfront payment of $63 million to KYM Biosciences. Potential development and sales-related milestone payments could reach up to $1.1 billion, in addition to tiered royalties.
This transaction is not expected to impact AstraZeneca's 2023 financial guidance. The company continues to expand its portfolio in gastrointestinal cancers, a disease area that accounted for approximately 5.1 million new cases worldwide in 2020.