AbbVie and Janssen receive positive CHMP opinions for novel cancer therapies

Epcoritamab Image courtesy of Genmab

The European Medicines Agency (EMA) could soon change the face of cancer treatment with its potential approval of two novel bispecific antibodies, epcoritamab and talquetamab. The EMA’s Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has recommended granting conditional marketing authorization for two novel cancer therapies — AbbVie’s epcoritamab and Janssen’s talquetamab.

Epcoritamab for relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma

Epcoritamab is an investigational bispecific antibody for adults with relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) after two or more lines of systemic therapy. CHMP made the decision after reviewing data from the pivotal EPCORE NHL-1 phase 1/2 trial showing an overall response rate of 63.1% with epcoritamab monotherapy in DLBCL patients. If approved, epcoritamab would be the first subcutaneous bispecif…

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  • July 21, 2023
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iBio’s chief reveals strategy behind AI-driven bispecific antibody discovery plans

Immunotherapy firm iBio (NYSEA:IBIO) has incorporated EngageTx, a machine learning-driven technology, into its development roadmap. This T-cell engaging antibody panel assists in generating bispecific antibodies targeting cancer cells. In particular, the firm is developing a novel Trophoblast Cell Surface Antigen 2 (TROP-2) bispecific molecule to target TROP-2-positive cancers.

A look at the rise of AI in oncology

As part of a broader trend, drug developers are employing machine learning in biotech to handle complex targets in areas like oncology, genomics, personalized medicine and rare diseases. In 2022, AI-employed companies had more than 150 small-molecule drugs in discovery and more than 15 in clinical trials, according to Boston Consulting Group. The group projected an almost 40% annual growth rate for the AI-fueled pipeline.

In a significant pivot, Bryan, Texas–headquartered iBio announced in November 2022 that it was divesting its contract development a…

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  • June 10, 2023
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