Ellipses In-Licenses First-in-Class B7H3 Antibody Drug Conjugate from Innolake Biopharm
Key Insights
Ellipses Pharma has entered into a collaboration and license agreement with Innolake Biopharm to develop ILB-3101, a first-in-class B7H3 (search)-targeted antibody drug conjugate with an eribulin payload.
The ADC, designated as EP0028 (search) by Ellipses, has the potential to treat multiple tumor types (search) and address resistance to topoisomerase-1 (search) based ADCs.
ILB-3101 is currently in Phase 1 trials in China, with Ellipses planning to initiate Phase 1 studies in the US and expand to Europe following regulatory approvals.
Ellipses Pharma Limited (search), a clinical-stage oncology drug development company, has announced a strategic collaboration and license agreement with Innolake Biopharm Co. Ltd (search) to develop ILB-3101, a first-in-class B7H3 (search)-targeted antibody drug conjugate (ADC) with an eribulin payload. Under the partnership, Ellipses gains worldwide development rights excluding greater China for the clinical-stage asset, which will be designated as EP0028 (search) in their pipeline.
Novel ADC Targets B7H3 with Eribulin Payload
ILB-3101/EP0028 (search) represents a differentiated approach to cancer (search) treatment, combining B7H3 (search) targeting with an eribulin payload. The ADC has the potential to treat multiple tumor types (search) and specifically address resistance to topoisomerase-1 (search) based ADCs, offering a potential solution for patients who have developed resistance to existing therapies.
The drug is currently undergoing Phase 1 clinical trials in China under Innolake's sponsorship. Ellipses plans to initiate its own Phase 1 clinical trial in the United States, with subsequent expansion to Europe and other territories following relevant regulatory approvals.
Strategic Partnership Expands Ellipses Pipeline
This collaboration marks a significant addition to Ellipses' clinical-stage pipeline and represents the second program the company has in-licensed from an innovative Chinese biotech company. The first program, EP0031, is a next-generation selective RET (search) inhibitor developed by Kelun Biotech (search), which Ellipses is currently advancing through Phase 2 trials.
Professor Sir Chris Evans, OBE, Executive Chair of Ellipses, stated: "We are delighted to bring this differentiated ADC into our pipeline. EP0028 (search) has the potential to address unmet needs in a range of indications and further strengthens our strategy to develop Chinese originated assets in the West."
Clinical Development Strategy
Professor Tobias Arkenau, Global Head of Drug Development and Chief Medical Officer of Ellipses, emphasized the strategic importance of the partnership: "Ellipses' decision to in-license EP0028 (search) is a significant milestone for us in continuing our mission to develop new cancer (search) drugs for patients with high unmet clinical needs. Our collaboration with Innolake is another great opportunity to develop innovative cancer drugs globally, robustly and at speed to serve our communities."
Mingde Xia, CEO of Innolake, commented on the validation this partnership represents: "This partnership is a great validation of our technology and capabilities. Having advanced ILB-3101 from early discovery through to the clinic, we are delighted to collaborate with Ellipses and look forward to bringing this innovative therapy to patients worldwide."
Company Profiles
Ellipses operates as a global clinical-stage drug development company focused on progressing first- or best-in-class oncology drugs. The company's maturing clinical pipeline currently includes three clinical phase-2 programs, with an additional program scheduled to commence Phase 1 studies in 2026. Ellipses is supported by a global Scientific Advisory Group comprising over 300 leading Oncology Key Opinion Leaders to de-risk initial asset selection and provide critical insights into clinical trial design.
Innolake Biopharm is a Hangzhou/Shanghai-based innovative clinical stage biotech company developing therapies to target unmet medical needs in cancer (search) and autoimmune diseases (search). The company leverages its proprietary technology platforms and in-house R&D capabilities to generate a pipeline of ADCs/biologics and small molecule programs.