Catalent Expands ADC Pipeline with $10M Lisata Deal, Exploring Novel Tumor-Targeting Approach

Catalent, a leading contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO), has inked a $10 million biobucks agreement with Lisata Therapeutics to evaluate the potential of certepetide in antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) development. This move marks Catalent's latest foray into the burgeoning ADC space and underscores the growing interest in novel approaches to targeted cancer therapies.

Certepetide: A New Player in ADC Development

At the heart of the deal is certepetide, an arginyl-glycyl-aspartic acid (iRGD) cyclic peptide developed by Lisata. The compound has shown promise in recent clinical trials, with Lisata reporting a "positive trend in overall survival" from an ongoing phase 2b study in patients with pancreatic cancer.

Catalent aims to explore the incorporation of certepetide and its analogs as payloads for a range of ADCs targeting difficult-to-treat diseases. The goal is to create a "new class of targeted bioconjugate therapies," leveraging certepetide's unique mechanism of action.

Dr. Kristen Buck, Chief Medical Officer at Lisata, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration, stating, "This deal underscores our mutual belief in certepetide's broad potential and is another significant step forward in Lisata's mission to bring transformative therapies to patients."

Catalent's Growing ADC Ambitions

While Catalent is primarily known as a CDMO, the company has been actively developing its own ADC technologies in recent years. Central to these efforts is the SMARTag platform, developed by Catalent's Redwood Biosciences unit. SMARTag is designed to provide optimized site-specific protein-modification and linker technologies for ADCs and other bioconjugates.

Penelope Drake, head of bioconjugates R&D at Catalent, highlighted the potential of the collaboration: "We are excited about the opportunity to explore iRGD biology as it relates to ADC delivery to the tumor microenvironment. Early data suggest that incorporating iRGD peptides into ADCs improves efficacy and pharmacokinetics, leading us to be optimistic about the potential of iRGD as a novel payload class."

This latest deal builds on Catalent's previous investments in the ADC space, including a $10 million upfront payment to Exelixis in 2020 for access to their preclinical pipeline for use in SMARTag-developed ADCs.

As the pharmaceutical industry continues to explore innovative approaches to cancer treatment, collaborations like the one between Catalent and Lisata underscore the potential for combining expertise in drug delivery, manufacturing, and novel therapeutic targets to advance the next generation of targeted therapies.