PolyTherics joins Spirogen to develop antibody-drug conjugates

PolyTherics has executed a research collaboration deal with Spirogen to develop antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) for the treatment of cancer.

Under the collaboration, the companies will produce ADCs by integrating PolyTherics’ proprietary TheraPEG linker technology with Spirogen’s pyrrolobenzodiazepines (PBDs) cytotoxic agents. The companies will then evaluate the potency of the resulting ADCs in preclinical models of cancer.

PolyTherics CEO John Burt said the developed antibody-drug conjugate reagents will have broad application for the development of ADCs as new cancer therapies. Spirogen CEO Chris Martin said PolyTherics’ TheraPEG conjugation technology will broaden the applications where the company’s PBD warheads and linkers can create potent ADC candidates.