ImmunoGen IND for IMGN853 now active; IMGN529 trial commenced

US biotechnology firm ImmunoGen (Nasdaq: IMGN) says that the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for its IMGN853 product candidate is now active. IMGN853 is a potential new therapeutic for ovarian cancer, NSCLC, and other epithelial malignancies which over-express FOLR1. The company expects Phase I evaluation of IMGN853 to begin in mid-2012.

Recently, ImmunoGen announced the start of Phase II testing with its IMGN901 compound in small-cell lung cancer and - yesterday - it announced the start of Phase I testing with its IMGN529 compound in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. All three product candidates utilize the company’s Targeted Antibody Payload (TAP) technology with ImmunoGen antibodies and are wholly owned by the Company.

“Our progress with IMGN901, IMGN529 and now IMGN853 speaks to our commitment to build and effectively advance a product pipeline of significant anticancer therapeutics,” commented Daniel Junius, president and chief executive, adding: “Each of these product candidates employs our TAP technology with its specific design optimized for its target. IMGN853, for example, uses one of the novel linkers we engineered to counter the multi-drug resistance that cancer cells can develop. Given the expression patterns of its target, with IMGN853 we also have a diagnostic assay to help in the identification of the patients most likely to benefit from treatment.”