GI Innovation and LaNova Medicines have formalized their collaboration through a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed during the JP Morgan Healthcare Conference in San Francisco. The partnership aims to develop a groundbreaking combination therapy for pancreatic cancer, combining GI Innovation's immuno-oncology drug GI-102 with LaNova's antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) LM-302.
The collaboration comes at a critical time in pancreatic cancer treatment, where current options are limited to chemotherapy cocktails that often present high toxicity and low efficacy. Notably, there are currently no approved immunotherapy options for pancreatic cancer patients.
Promising Preclinical Results
Recent preclinical studies have demonstrated exceptional anticancer activity when combining GI-102 with LM-302, which targets Claudin18.2, in pancreatic cancer models. Both compounds have already advanced to clinical development stages, with GI-102 having completed Phase 1 trials in the United States and Korea, while LM-302 is currently in Phase 3 trials for third-line and above gastric cancer treatment in China.
Strategic Therapeutic Approach
"We are delighted to be conducting a combination study with LaNova, which is recognized by global pharma companies," stated Dr. Myoung Ho Jang, CSO of GI Innovation. "LaNova's ADC, which directly destroys tumor cells to increase the response rate, and GI-102, which can enhance immune memory to increase overall survival, are expected to be a combination therapy that can change the pancreatic cancer treatment paradigm."
Dr. Crystal Qin, CEO of LaNova, expressed similar enthusiasm: "GI-102 exemplifies GI Innovation's robust R&D capabilities in immunotherapy. We are excited to explore its combination with LaNova's Claudin18.2 ADC, LM-302, which holds the potential to provide a novel therapeutic option for pancreatic cancer patients."
Development Timeline and Company Profiles
The partnership will focus on conducting clinical trials targeting patients with metastatic pancreatic cancer. GI Innovation, a KOSDAQ-listed biotech company, has established itself as a pioneer in fusion protein drugs for cancer and allergies since 2017, securing $230 million through various funding channels. Their portfolio includes several innovative programs, including the immuno-oncology assets GI-101, GI-102, and anti-allergy asset GI-301, along with the metabolic immuno-oncology asset GI-108.
The collaboration represents a significant step forward in addressing the urgent need for more effective pancreatic cancer treatments, combining two promising approaches in cancer therapy: targeted antibody-drug conjugates and immune system modulation.
