GSK forms alliance on cancer stem cell antibodies

GlaxoSmithKline (GSK) has signed a partnership agreement with OncoMed Pharmaceuticals for the discovery, development and commercialisation of innovative antibody therapeutics for the targeting of cancer stem cells.

Research will be conducted through the Centre of Excellence for External Drug Discovery (CEED) at GSK and will use the expertise of OncoMed in this area, with GSK able to license four product candidates from the firm’s library of monoclonal antibodies.

GSK has paid OncoMed an initial sum that has not been publicly revealed together with an investment in its equity, while OncoMed can also receive up to a total of $1.4 billion (690.4 million pounds) in milestone payments as well as royalties on future sales.

Hugh Cowley, senior vice-president and head of the CEEDD, said: “This alliance confirms GSK’s growing status as a world leader in the development of new oncology medicines for use in the treatment, prevention and supportive care of cancer patients and provides us access to an exciting new area of drug discovery.”

He added that the targeting of cancer stem cells could potentially result in a paradigm shift in the treatment of patients with cancer.

In September 2007, Sanofi-Aventis formed a strategic alliance with he Institute of Haematology and Blood Diseases Hospital of the Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences in Tianjin to investigate the role of cancer stem cells in the disease.