Business
Gilead and Dragonfly Announce Strategic Research Collaboration to Develop Natural Killer Cell Engagers in Oncology and Inflammation
– Gilead to License Exclusive Worldwide Rights to the Investigational Candidate DF7001, a 5T4-Targeting NK Cell Engager for Solid Tumors – – Gilead to Have
About this update from Gilead Sciences, Inc.
[{"type":"text","content":"\n– Gilead to License Exclusive Worldwide Rights to the Investigational Candidate DF7001, a 5T4-Targeting NK Cell Engager for Solid Tumors –\n\n– Gilead to Have Options to License Several Additional NK Cell Engager Programs –\n\n FOSTER CITY, Calif. & WALTHAM, Mass.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--\nGilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq: GILD) and Dragonfly Therapeutics today announced a collaboration designed to advance a number of Dragonfly's novel natural killer (NK) cell engager-based immunotherapies for oncology and inflammation indications. NK cell engagers represent a novel mechanism with the potential to address a broad range of cancers, including potential for activity in checkpoint resistant and refractory tumors, as well as other disease areas such as inflammation. Under the agreement, Gilead will receive an exclusive, worldwide license from Dragonfly for the 5T4-targeting investigational immunotherapy program, DF7001. The agreement also grants Gilead options, after the completion of certain preclinical activities, to license exclusive, worldwide rights to develop and commercialize additional NK cell engager programs using the Dragonfly Tri-specific NK Engager (TriNKET™) platform. TriNKETs are activators of the innate and adaptive immune systems, recruiting NK and cytotoxic T cells into the tumor microenvironment.\nThis press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20220429005730/en/\nDF7001 is a TriNKET designed to activate and direct NK and cytotoxic T cell killing against cancer cells. The target of DF7001 is 5T4, a protein expressed on cancer cells and stromal cells that support tumor growth associated with poor prognosis in several cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, and head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCC). DF7001 has the potential to trigger the killing of 5T4+ expressing cells, including tumor cells, cancer-associated fibroblasts and cancer stem cells. The program is on track for filing an Investigational New Drug (IND) application in the first half of 2023.\n\n“We are excited to partner with Dragonfly as we expand our pipeline with innovative NK cell engager programs. Using our scientific framework to focus our efforts, we are growing our portfolio with assets that have complementary MOAs and strong scientific rat...