HAYWARD, Calif. & BERLIN--(BUSINESS WIRE)--RefleXion Medical, Inc., a therapeutic oncology company and 3B Pharmaceuticals (3BP) GmbH, a biotechnology company developing targeted radiopharmaceutical drugs and diagnostics for cancer detection and treatment, announced an exclusive licensing agreement for RefleXion to develop and commercialize a specific 3BP molecule to direct its SCINTIX™ biology-guided radiotherapy. This molecule may significantly expand the patient population eligible for SCINTIX therapy to patients with solid tumor cancers of any stage in a manner that may improve both outcomes and procedural workflow.
The proprietary molecule, termed RXM-4768, targets fibroblast activation protein (FAP) found in nearly all solid tumor types. Using its technology platform, 3BP has discovered and characterized a large portfolio of FAP-targeting molecules as potential diagnostic and therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals. Together the companies selected one molecule optimized for utility with RefleXion’s SCINTIX radiotherapy that expands the role of FAP-targeting molecules to now include directing external-beam radiotherapy delivery in real time.
“This molecule has the potential to light up most solid tumor types in the body, thus demonstrating the power of radiopharmaceuticals by enabling SCINTIX therapy to reach patients with metastatic cancers that currently have dismal outcomes,” said Thorsten Melcher, Ph.D., chief business officer at RefleXion. “Our partnership with 3BP is as unprecedented in the external-beam radiotherapy industry as our SCINTIX therapy is for cancer treatment. We are excited, in collaboration with 3BP and others, to advance this molecule through clinical testing to commercialization.”
Overcoming the hurdles of targeting and motion management, especially for multiple tumors, is the core challenge in external beam radiotherapy. SCINTIX therapy, delivered by the RefleXion® X1, uses emissions from cancer cells created by injecting the patient with a radiopharmaceutical to deliver a radiation dose that continuously and autonomously targets the cancer itself.
“We designed RXM-4768 with the unique requirements for SCINTIX therapy in mind, and our preclinical data demonstrated its potential as an effective biology guide for potentially most solid tumor cancer types,” said Dr. Ulrich Reineke, founder & managing director of 3B Pharmaceuticals. “We look forward to working with RefleXion and their collaborator network to bring this project to fruition.”
RXM-4768 was previously known as 3BP-4768 and is part of the rights retained by 3BP under the Global Exclusive Licensing Agreement for 3BP's FAP-targeting peptide technology with Novartis Innovative Therapies AG. Under the terms of the agreement, RefleXion has worldwide, exclusive and sublicensable rights to continue development and subsequent commercialization of RXM-4768 for use with SCINTIX biology-guided radiotherapy. Terms of the transaction also include upfront and annual license payments to 3BP. Upon achievement of certain regulatory and commercial milestones, additional payments and commercial royalties would be due to 3BP. Further terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
RefleXion recently announced completion of the world’s first SCINTIX treatment in a patient with a recurrent lung tumor at Stanford Medicine Cancer Center. This milestone ushers in a new era of autonomous radiotherapy where the biology of the tumor directs where to deliver the radiation dose.
About RefleXion Medical
RefleXion is a privately held therapeutic oncology company located in Hayward, Calif., commercializing SCINTIX biology-guided radiotherapy, a novel therapy that uses a single radiotracer injection to transform cancer cells into real-time biological beacons to control external-beam radiotherapy delivery to multiple tumors. Granted Breakthrough Device designation for lung tumors, and De Novo marketing authorization by the FDA, SCINTIX therapy is indicated for use in FDG-guided treatment of lung and bone tumors arising from either primary lung and bone cancers or resulting from metastases by other primary cancers. RefleXion has co-development and co-commercialization agreements with Lantheus and Telix for their PSMA-targeted PET radiotracers as SCINTIX therapy bioguides for prostate applications. The RefleXion X1 is also cleared for image-guided external-beam radiotherapy for solid tumors located anywhere in the body.
About 3B Pharmaceuticals
3B Pharmaceuticals is a German biotechnology company developing targeted radiopharmaceutical drugs and diagnostics for oncology indications with a high unmet medical need. As a leader in peptide discovery and optimization, 3BP has built a technology platform extending from hit identification to early clinical development. 3BP was founded in 2008 by a team of renowned experts in peptide drug discovery and nuclear medicine from Berlin, Bern and Basel. The company is owned by its founders and management. For more information on 3B Pharmaceuticals, visit www.3b-pharma.com.
