CDR Life obtains milestone payment

CDR-Life is developing highly specific antibody therapeutics to target intracellular proteins presented on the major histocompatibility complex (MHC). Its versatile MHC-targeted antibody platform increases access to a vast array of antigens that were not previously addressable to develop a pipeline of first-in-class therapeutics across a broad range of solid tumours such as geographic atrophy (GA).

GA is a progressive, irreversible retinal disease and one of the leading causes of blindness in people over 65 years of age. It occurs in people living with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and affects approximately eight million people globally. 

In May 2020, the startup entered an agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim to advance a novel therapy for GA to preserve sight for people living with this blinding retinal disease. The achievement of a development milestone has now triggered a milestone payment.

“This milestone is continued validation of the expertise of our team to identify high-quality antibody fragment-based drug candidates across a broad range of therapeutic applications,” said Christian Leisner, Chief Executive Officer at CDR-Life. “Our partnership with Boehringer Ingelheim has proven successful and will hopefully bring life-changing new treatments for people living with this devastating disease.”

In addition to partnering with Boehringer Ingelheim, CDR-Life is building its own pipeline of novel antibody fragment-based T cell engagers against solid tumours. By uniquely targeting the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), CDR-Life is able to access a new class of intracellular tumour antigens to engage T cells. The company’s first of several therapeutic candidates in development, CDR404, targets MAGE-A4 and is anticipated to enter the clinic in 2024.

(RAN)