Genentech – a member of the Roche group – and Kronos Bio (Kronos) have entered into a discovery collaboration to advance novel therapies for transcriptional targets in oncology.
The collaboration will focus on discovering and developing small-molecule drug candidates that modulate transcription factor (TF) targets – proteins involved in the process of converting DNA into RNA – chosen by Genentech.
TFs are believed to be critical for the formation of cancer, with high expression of some TFs correlated with poor prognosis and chemo resistance, constituting a significant challenge in cancer treatment.
Kronos will lead discovery and research activities using its proprietary drug discovery platform and research already conducted by Genentech, which will have the exclusive right to pursue further preclinical and clinical development and commercialisation for any candidates it chooses.
In exchange, an upfront payment of $20m will be given to Kronos, which will also be eligible for up to $554m in milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on any products resulting from the collaboration.
James Sabry, global head of Roche Pharma Partnering, said: “We are excited about the possibilities that this collaboration with Kronos brings to further our understanding of complex scientific networks with the goal of bringing highly effective medicines to patients.”
The collaboration is the first for Kronos, according to the company’s president and chief executive officer, Norbert Bischofberger, who said the partnership brought together expertise from both companies “with the goal of answering fundamental scientific questions about the biology of cancer that we hope will one day lead to the advancement of new clinical candidates”.
“We are pleased to be able to leverage our unique platform to collaborate with Genentech to further Kronos’ understanding of transcription-driven oncogenesis and ability to identify novel targets involved,” Bischofberger added.
The biopharma is currently advancing two investigational compounds in clinical trials for patients with cancer. This includes a CDK9 inhibitor for the treatment for MYC-amplified solid tumours and a next-generation SYK inhibitor for patients with relapsed/refractory FLT3-mutated acute myeloid leukaemia.
The company also had a second SYK inhibitor, entospletinib, in clinical development for the treatment for newly diagnosed patients with NPM1-mutated acute myeloid leukaemia. However, Kronos said in November that it would be discontinuing the phase 3 trial of the candidate, citing enrolment challenges.