Genome & Company has signed a global license agreement with Ellipses Pharma, a U.K.-based drug developer, for GENA-104, a novel targeted immuno-oncology drug.

Ellipses Pharma said Tuesday, local time, that it has entered into a global license agreement with Genome & Company for GENA-104, a new immune checkpoint inhibitor targeting CNTN4. The British company did not disclose the contract amount.

Genome & Company discovered GENA-104 through its drug discovery platform, GNOCLE. CNTN4 is a newly identified immune gateway protein highly expressed in various tumors.

The study results of GENA-104 were published in Science Immunology, a sister journal of Science, last October. The results showed that the CNTN4-APP (amyloid precursor protein) immune gateway plays a key role in the immune evasion of tumor cells and that GENA-104 can block it and show strong anticancer effects.

With the agreement, Genome & Company has transferred the global development rights of GENA-104 to Ellipses Pharma, which will develop it as EP0089.

Genome & Company first discovered GENA-104 and conducted preclinical studies, which Ellipses Pharma will expand to global development and clinical trials.

In January 2024, Genome & Company received its phase 1 IND (investigative new drug) approval from the Ministry of Food and Drug Safety. The phase 1 clinical trial of EP0089 in Korea will begin this year and will be expanded to global clinical trials upon approval from regulatory agencies in the U.S. and Europe.

“GENA-104 has demonstrated promise as a novel targeted immuno-oncology agent in preclinical studies,” Genome & Company CEO Hong Yoo-seok said. “Based on Ellipses Pharma's deep pockets and expertise in anticancer drug development, we will develop it into a global drug.”

Ellipses Pharma Chairman Chris Evans said, “EP0089 is a candidate that fits perfectly with our strategy of developing innovative anticancer drugs. We aim to bring it to patients through rapid development.”

Tobias Arkenau, head of Global Drug Development at Ellipses Pharma, said, “EP0089 represents a novel mechanism of action that blocks the CNTN4-APP immune checkpoint interaction to promote T-cell anticancer activity. It will represent an important therapeutic alternative in cancers refractory to existing immune checkpoint inhibitors.”