Friday, June 09, 2023
Lantern Pharma Inc. (NASDAQ: LTRN) has announced a collaboration with Bielefeld University in Germany to advance the development of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) using their proprietary RADR® AI and ML platform. The aim of the partnership is to leverage the expertise of Lantern Pharma and the research capabilities of Bielefeld University to develop ADCs with high therapeutic potential.
The collaboration will specifically focus on the synthesis and evaluation of novel ADCs linked to cryptophycins, which are potent antitumor molecules known for their ability to inhibit tumor growth. The research will involve testing these cryptophycin-ADCs across various cancer cell lines, with initial results expected in 2023.
Dr. Norbert Sewald, a leading researcher at Bielefeld University, expressed excitement about the collaboration and highlighted their expertise in synthesizing cryptophycin derivatives and ADCs. Lantern Pharma's Chief Scientific Officer, Dr. Kishor Bhatia, emphasized the potential of combining their RADR® AI ADC module with Dr. Sewald's research to select and advance cryptophycin-ADCs with improved targeting and therapeutic efficacy.
Once the initial objectives of the collaboration are achieved, Lantern Pharma plans to leverage their RADR® platform to develop multiple ADCs, potentially incorporating cryptophycins or other promising payloads. They also intend to collaborate with other academic and commercial partners to identify and advance promising ADC candidates for targeted clinical trials.
This collaboration aligns with the growing global ADC market, which is projected to reach $14.0 billion by 2027. The ADC field has seen significant growth, with 12 ADCs currently approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for cancer treatment and approximately 37 ADCs in late-stage oncology trials.
Under the collaboration agreement, Dr. Sewald and his team at Bielefeld University will be responsible for synthesizing, optimizing, and conducting initial testing of the cryptophycin-ADCs. Lantern Pharma will have an exclusive worldwide option to license any intellectual property (IP) generated from the collaboration.
Dr. Norbert Sewald, a Professor of Organic and Bioorganic Chemistry at Bielefeld University, has a strong research focus on ADC and peptide-drug conjugate development, natural product synthesis, and bioactive peptide modification. He is also involved in the Magicbullet::reloaded consortium, which aims to investigate ADCs, peptide-drug conjugates, and small molecule-drug conjugates to enhance tumor immune responses and overcome immunotherapy resistance.
Dr. Sewald completed his Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry at the Technical University of Munich and conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Oxford. He has been a full Professor at Bielefeld University since 1999.
