ImmunoGen, Inc. IMGN announced that it has initiated a phase I study to evaluate its anti-CD123 antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), IMGN632, for treating patients with hematological malignancies including acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and blastic plasmacytoid dendritic cell neoplasm.
Notably, IMGN632 uses the company’s indolino-benzodiazepine cancer-killing agents known as IGNs.
This is ImmunoGen’s second IGN ADC to move into clinical development, the first being IMGN779, a CD33-targeting ADC, already evaluated in a phase I study for the treatment of AML.
We remind investors that the FDA has completed the safety review of the investigational new drug (IND) application for IMGN632 in October last year, which was filed by the company in mid-September for the aforementioned indications. The IND application was supported by positive data from preclinical studies, which demonstrated IMGN63’s promising activity against AML cells while sparing normal bone marrow cells.
ImmunoGen’s shares have significantly outperformed the industry year to date. The stock has skyrocketed 185.6% compared with the industry’s 8.1% increase during the same time frame.
The phase I study will follow a dose regime of IMGN632 once every three weeks. Thereafter, the selected dose will be evaluated in expansion cohorts in patients with the above mentioned hematologic malignancies.
We remind investors that ImmunoGen had earlier entered into a strategic collaboration and option agreement with Jazz Pharmaceuticals PLC JAZZ in August for the development and commercialization of IMGN632. The collaboration also includes IMGN779.
Notably, ImmunoGen is focused on developing targeted cancer therapeutics using its proprietary ADC technology. In fact, this innovative technology of the company is also used in Roche's RHHBY marketed product, Kadcyla, and in three other development-stage candidates in its pipeline.
Additionally, the ADC technology is used in development programs by ImmunoGen's partners Amgen AMGN, Bayer AG, Biotest, CytomX, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Sanofi and Takeda.
Zacks Rank
ImmunoGen carries a Zacks Rank #3 (Hold). You can see the complete list of today’s Zacks #1 Rank (Strong Buy) stocks here.
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