Overview
Angiex is reviving an old target – TM4SF1, the subject of clinical oncology trials by BMS in 1986-1991 – with a modern technology, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), to address cancer and cardiovascular diseases.
TM4SF1 is expressed and internalizes in mobile and proliferating endothelial cells at sites of vessel growth or wound healing. It is also expressed by most tumor cells where it supports migration and metastasis. As such, it is a potential vehicle for targeted drug delivery in solid cancers and many vascular diseases.
Angiex is developing an antibody platform targeting TM4SF1, will develop a cancer biotherapeutic internally, and will out-license its antibodies to pharma and biotech partners for vascular indications. In preclinical studies, ADCs combining Angiex’s antibody with an auristatin payload have shown efficacy against human xenograft and mouse syngeneic tumors.