Scopus Biopharma recently launched Duet Therapeutics to integrate its immunotherapy assets’ management and clinical development with Olimmune.
Scopus Biopharma, a New York-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical firm, recently launched Duet Therapeutics to integrate its immunotherapy assets’ management and clinical development with Olimmune, a company it acquired in June for an undisclosed amount.
Los Angeles-based Olimmune is a developer of oligonucleotide immunotherapies for treatment-resistant and metastatic cancers. Its lead drug candidate, OLIM-01, is being developed for genitourinary and head and neck cancers and was founded by City of Hope professor and immuno-oncologist Marcin Kortylewski, Ph.D.
City of Hope is a world-renowned research and treatment facility for cancer, diabetes, and other life-threatening diseases. Olimmune has exclusive and worldwide licenses to certain patents from City of Hope to develop and commercialize CpG-STAT3ASO and CpG-STAT3decoy.
“The integration of the immuno-oncology assets of Scopus and Olimmune creates a comprehensive, industry-leading portfolio of bi-functional cancer-targeting oligonucleotides. Our highly complementary IP-protected technologies all target STAT3 inhibition. We believe our oligonucleotide technologies are unique, highly differentiated, and superior to other STAT3 inhibitors currently under development,” said Scopus chairman Joshua R. Lamstein in a statement.
Alan Horsager, Ph.D., the president and chief executive officer of the newly launched Duet Therapeutics, will present at the 14th Annual RNA Consortium Meeting on September 10.
His participation is significant, as he will be presenting on the topic “Clinical Development of CpG-STAT3 Inhibitors” as part of the Clinical Translation of Oligonucleotide Therapeutics virtual session.
Dr. Horsager joined Scopus in July after his role as the director of LA Biospace at Cal State LA. Before that, he co-founded and served as a senior executive of two biotechnology firms and functioned as a research assistant professor at the University of Southern California.
A major topic in Horsager’s presentation on September 10 will be the Duet Platform, which reflects the strengths of both Duet and Olimmune and is comprised of three distinctive complementary CpG-STAT3 inhibitors: RNA silencing (CpG-STAT3siRNA, DUET-01), antisense (CpG-STAT3ASO, DUET-02), and protein degradation (CpG-STAT3decoy, DUET-03).
DUET-01 is currently in a Phase I clinical trial as a monotherapy for B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. DUET-02, which is set to commence in 2022, will file two INDs in two separate indications for genitourinary and head and neck cancers. Details for DUET-03 have yet to be finalized.
“It is a privilege to play a key role in integrating and developing Duet’s drug candidates. Based on the large body of scientific data, we firmly believe our oligonucleotide platform has enormous potential to address one of the society’s most significant unmet medical needs — unprecedented treatments, and potential cures, for many different types of cancer,” noted Dr. Horsager.
The biotechnology market welcomed the developments and sent shares in Scopus BioPharma up by 18 percent on September 3 following the news, placing the company’s per share value at $5.90.
