Actinium Pharmaceuticals has successfully completed the second module of its previously announced research and option agreement with Astellas Pharma and the third module has been initiated. In this collaboration, Actinium is utilizing its Antibody Warhead Enabling (AWE) technology platform to conjugate and label select targeting agents owned by Astellas with the potent alpha-particle emitting payload Actinium-225 (Ac-225) and conducting preclinical research that is being funded by Astellas.
Actinium leverages its Ac-225 intellectual property through its AWE platform to create Antibody Radiation-Conjugates (ARC's) to develop its clinical pipeline and to drive its research and development efforts including its ongoing collaboration with Astellas. Actinium recently provided an update on its intellectual property portfolio which is comprised of 111 issued and pending patents spread across 28 patent families in the United States and internationally. The estate covers ARC generation, composition of matter, formulations, methods of administration for solid and liquid cancers and radionuclide manufacturing.
"We continue to be excited by the progress we've made in this collaboration with Astellas and we strongly value this relationship with them. Our team is highly motivated and committed to complete the third and final module of our collaboration,” Dr. Dale Ludwig, Actinium's Chief Scientific Officer, who is leading the Collaborative Research Program with Astellas, said. “It is our intent to solidify Ac-225's use as a preferred radioisotope payload, taking advantage of its highly differentiated attributes. The advancement of this collaboration with Astellas is a strong step in that direction. To that end, we are constantly striving to improve upon our AWE capabilities, for ourselves and for our partners, to deliver the best possible therapies for patients."
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"As our first collaboration with our AWE platform, it is exciting to see this progression of our research and option agreement with Astellas to the final module. AWE is a valuable tool in our armamentarium and we are dedicated to continuing to invest in all facets of our capabilities including R&D, intellectual property, supply chain and manufacturing to best serve our collaborators,” Sandesh Seth, Actinium's Chairman and CEO, said. “With strong recognition and acceptance for the field of targeted radiotherapies marked by recent drug approvals and acquisitions, we are confident that these investments will yield positive returns. In addition, and most importantly, we are confident that new ARC-based therapies will be created that will have the potential to better patient outcomes."
The Antibody Warhead Enabling (AWE) technology platform is based on Actinium's extensive clinical experience, intellectual property portfolio of over 110 patents, technical know-how and trade secrets that enables the creation of ARC's or Antibody Radiation Conjugates, wherein a biomolecular targeting agent is stably labeled with the powerful Ac-225 payload to enhance targeted cell killing. Actinium has the ability to work with multiple targeting agents and multiple isotopes, has research and manufacturing capabilities and a clinical supply chain that has serviced more than 30 distinct trial sites in the United States and Canada.
Actinium provides access to its technology platform through its AWE Program, which is structured to provide the opportunity for partners or collaborators to derive maximum value from a collaboration by leveraging Actinium's extensive technical know-how, access to its ARC drug development infrastructure and to its underlying AWE technology platform. The AWE Program provides a partner or collaborator with access to Actinium's knowledge bank and infrastructure allowing collaborators to benefit from accelerated development timelines for its ARCs.