GSK plc and LTZ Therapeutics have entered into a strategic research collaboration to advance the development of novel myeloid cell engagers (MCEs) for cancer treatment, addressing significant unmet needs in oncology. The partnership aims to develop up to four potential first-in-class MCE therapies targeting both hematologic cancers and solid tumors, with GSK securing exclusive worldwide development and commercial rights for these pre-clinical therapies.
Novel Immune-Engager Platform Shows Promise
Myeloid cell engagers represent an emerging class of immuno-oncology treatments designed to harness the body's own immune system to recognize and kill tumor cells. This approach offers a novel method to target cancers while maintaining a favorable safety profile. The therapeutic potential lies in the fact that myeloid cells constitute a significant majority of tissue-resident immune cells throughout the body, providing the potential for broad and sustained tumor infiltration when used to target and eliminate cancerous cells.
LTZ's MCE platform has demonstrated promising pre-clinical data showing targeted anti-cancer activity across multiple tumor types. This represents a potential advantage over existing modalities, which, while showing efficacy, can be associated with significant side effects requiring inpatient monitoring that limits community use where most patients receive their care.
Strategic Investment in Next-Generation Technologies
"This collaboration builds on GSK's targeted investment in next-generation technologies to advance cancer medicines with transformative potential," said Hesham Abdullah, Senior Vice President, Global Head Oncology, R&D at GSK. "By combining our scientific expertise with LTZ's innovative immune-engager platform, we aim to accelerate first-in-class myeloid cell engager therapies in hematologic cancers and solid tumors to transform outcomes with a safety profile to enable broad community access for people living with cancer."
The collaboration aligns with GSK's broader oncology strategy, which focuses on expanding from current blood and women's cancers into lung and gastrointestinal cancers, as well as other solid tumors. This includes accelerating priority programs such as antibody-drug conjugates targeting B7-H3 and B7-H4, and IDRX-42, a highly selective KIT tyrosine kinase inhibitor.
Financial Terms and Milestone Structure
Under the agreement terms, LTZ Therapeutics will receive an upfront payment of $50 million and is eligible for success-based preclinical, clinical, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, plus tiered royalties on global net sales of commercialized products resulting from the collaboration.
"We are thrilled to enter a strategic agreement with GSK," said Robert Li, Founder and CEO of LTZ. "This collaboration marks a pivotal milestone in our mission to uncover the potential of myeloid biology to deliver new treatment options for diseases with significant unmet need. Working with GSK for oncology indications will enable us to accelerate this vision, uniting expertise, and a common goal of improving outcomes for patients."
Company Profiles and Future Outlook
LTZ Therapeutics operates as an immunotherapy-focused biotechnology company with main operations in Redwood City, California, and Shenzhen, China. The company is dedicated to developing myeloid engager immunotherapies for broad disease indications, including both cancer and autoimmune diseases.
The partnership represents GSK's continued commitment to using novel technologies in areas of disease expertise to advance medicines with transformative potential, potentially expanding the company's oncology portfolio with innovative first-in-class treatments that could be administered in community settings rather than requiring specialized inpatient care.
