Fusion Pharmaceuticals Announces Research Collaboration with Pepscan to Develop Peptide-Based Radiopharmaceuticals

HAMILTON, ON and BOSTON, Jan. 11, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Fusion Pharmaceuticals Inc. (Nasdaq: FUSN), a clinical-stage oncology company focused on developing next-generation radiopharmaceuticals as precision medicines, today announced the company has entered into a strategic research collaboration with Pepscan Therapeutics B.V. (Pepscan) to discover novel, peptide-based radiopharmaceuticals for the treatment of various solid tumors.

"Fusion's internal research and develop capabilities combined with expertise in radiopharmaceuticals allow us to create novel targeted alpha therapies (TATs) using a variety of classes of targeting molecules, including antibodies, small molecules and peptides – all of which have been used successfully in radiopharmaceutical development," said Fusion Chief Executive Officer John Valliant, Ph.D. "We are pleased to work with Pepscan who has a proprietary platform for peptide discovery that will enable us to create novel, peptide-based targeted alpha therapies (TATs), further augementing our pipeline of radiopharmaceuticals."

Under the agreement, Fusion has global rights to develop and commercialize any peptides discovered under the collaboration.

About Fusion

Fusion Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage oncology company focused on developing next-generation radiopharmaceuticals as precision medicines. Employing a proprietary Fast-Clear™ linker technology, Fusion connects alpha particle emitting isotopes to various targeting molecules in order to selectively deliver the alpha emitting payloads to tumors.

Fusion's lead program, FPI-1434 targeting insulin-like growth factor 1 receptor, is currently in a Phase 1 clinical trial. The pipeline includes FPI-1966 targeting the fibroblast growth factor receptor 3 (FGFR3) and FPI-2059, a small molecule recently acquired from Ipsen, targeting neurotensin receptor 1 (NTSR1). In addition to a robust proprietary pipeline, Fusion has a collaboration with AstraZeneca to jointly develop up to three novel targeted alpha therapies (TATs) and explore up to five combination programs between Fusion's TATs and AstraZeneca's DNA Damage Repair Inhibitors (DDRis) and immuno-oncology agents. Fusion also entered into a collaboration with Merck to evaluate FPI-1434 in combination with Merck's KEYTRUDA^® (pembrolizumab) in patients with solid tumors expressing IGF-1R.

About Pepscan

Pepscan is an all-in-one partner in peptides, building on 25 years of experience in advancing and applying peptide expertise to facilitate customers in the development and production of peptides. At its end-to-end facility in Lelystad, the Netherlands, Pepscan offers a range of patented technologies, phage display capabilities, a lead-optimization array platform, and production facilities for R&D- to GMP-grade peptides, including libraries and neoantigen vaccines. Among its patents is the CLIPS™ technology, which locks peptides into active conformations.

Pepscan has a proven track record in the field of radiopharmaceuticals and synthesized precursors for radiolabeled peptides suitable for a wider range of applications. Its unique CLIPS™ phage display platform screens libraries with billions of different peptides and enables the discovery of highly constrained de novo peptides with enhanced affinities, selectivities and proteolytic stabilities. Next to the peptides emerging from the discovery platform, Pepscan has successfully produced radiopharmaceutical peptides at GMP grade as developed by customers themselves.

SOURCE Fusion Pharmaceuticals Inc.