Ellipses in-licenses rights to immuno-oncology agent

UK-based Ellipses Pharma, a company progressing cancer treatments through an innovative drug development model, has announced that it is to develop a next-generation immuno-oncology drug which could address the needs of those who do not respond to existing checkpoint inhibitors.

Ellipses has agreed to in-license global rights to GENA-104, a first-in-class monoclonal antibody that targets CNTN4, a recently-discovered checkpoint protein that is highly expressed in a wide range of tumor types. 

GENA-104 was first discovered by Genome & Company (Kosdaq: 314130), a South Korea-based biotech focused on discovery and development of novel cancer target antibodies and antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).