The Menarini Group, a prominent pharmaceutical and diagnostics company, together with its subsidiary Stemline Therapeutics, and Insilico Medicine, a biotechnology company utilizing artificial intelligence (AI), have entered into an exclusive licensing agreement. This agreement grants Stemline global rights to develop and commercialize a novel small molecule KAT6A inhibitor designed with Insilico's AI platform. The molecule aims to be a potential treatment for hormone-sensitive cancers, particularly addressing the issue of resistance to endocrine therapy in breast cancer.

Breast cancer, the most frequently diagnosed tumor globally among women, poses a significant challenge with the development of resistance to endocrine therapy, leading to disease progression. The molecule in focus targets KAT6A, known for its role in various cancers, especially in estrogen receptor-positive (ER+) breast cancer. Insilico's AI-engineered molecule demonstrated promising results in preclinical studies, exhibiting strong inhibition against KAT6A in relevant models.

Elcin Barker Ergun, CEO of Menarini Group, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration with Insilico, aiming to explore new treatment approaches and discover transformative therapies for cancer. The molecule, designed by Insilico's team, works by inhibiting KAT6A and blocking the endocrine receptor at the transcriptional level. This mechanism offers potential benefits in overcoming resistance to endocrine therapies.

Alex Zhavoronkov, PhD, founder and co-CEO of Insilico Medicine, emphasized the promise of their AI-engineered therapy as a potential treatment option for breast cancer patients. Stemline, known for its focus on delivering transformative therapies in oncology, is viewed as the ideal partner to advance this molecule into clinical trials.

As part of the agreement, Stemline will make an initial payment of US$12 million to Insilico. The overall value of the deal, inclusive of commercial, regulatory, and development milestones, surpasses US$500 million, accompanied by up to double-digit royalties. This collaboration reflects a strategic effort to address the urgent need for innovative therapies in breast cancer and other oncology indications.

 

Source: prnewswire.com

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