Mitra Biotech Announces Partnership with Glenmark Pharmaceuticals to Provide Clinically Relevant Translational Platform Supporting Development of Immuno-Oncology Portfolio

BOSTON and LA CHAUX-DE-FONDS, Switzerland, Sept. 12, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- Mitra Biotech today announced a partnership with Glenmark Pharmaceuticals focused on advancing Glenmark's proprietary immuno-oncology drug pipeline utilizing Mitra's CANscript^TM platform.

CANscript is a human, immune-relevant ex vivo platform that allows drug developers to understand drug performance in human tissue, which in turn allows for an informed approach to clinical development and patient response. CANscript recreates the in vivo tumor microenvironment, maintaining the heterogeneity of the tumor while preserving its immune compartment. This uniquely positions the platform to provide drug developers with answers to mechanistic questions about their immuno-oncology drug candidates and prioritize the most promising candidates for advancement into clinical trials.

"Glenmark recognizes the value of Mitra's unique CANscript platform to support translational and clinical studies, especially in immuno-oncology and with newer modalities like bispecific antibodies," said Venkat Reddy, Senior Vice President and Global Head of Translational Sciences at Glenmark Pharmaceuticals. "We are pleased to have access to proprietary technology from Mitra to assist us in accelerating understanding of the clinical relevance and potential utility of our T cell engagers (GBR1302 and GBR1342) in human biopsies. We are confident that this partnership will benefit our clinical programs."

The CANscript platform delivers powerful treatment response predictions with exceptionally high correlation to clinical outcomes for a more effective and efficient cancer drug development approach.  CANscript has been validated using thousands of cancer patient cases, with a published 90% overall correlation¹ between the platform's treatment predictions and actual clinical outcomes.

 "We are very pleased that Glenmark has selected us as a trusted partner to advance their immuno-oncology pipeline," said Andrea Jackson, Vice President, Biopharma at Mitra. "CANscript is already enabling Glenmark improve their decision-making around their portfolio as they move these molecules into the clinic."

Glenmark's immuno-oncology pipeline currently includes three bispecific monoclonal antibody (bsAb) candidates being studied in a wide range of tumor types. GBR 1302, a HER2xCD3 bsAb and GBR 1342, a CD38XCD3 bsAb are currently in Phase 1; and GBR 1372, an EGFRxCD3 bsAb, is in preclinical development.

About Mitra Biotech:

Mitra Biotech is a global leader in advancing personalized oncology treatment and supporting more effective and efficient drug development.

Founded in 2010, Mitra is headquartered in Woburn, MA and maintains a significant research and laboratory presence in Bangalore, India. Mitra operates with a dedicated focus on enhancing the personalization of cancer treatment and care worldwide.

About Glenmark Pharmaceuticals
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd. (GPL) is a global innovative pharmaceutical company with operations in more than 50 countries. Glenmark has a diverse pipeline with several compounds in various stages of clinical development, primarily focused in the areas of oncology, respiratory disease and dermatology. Glenmark has improved the lives of millions of patients by offering safe, affordable medications for nearly 40 years. For more information, visit glenmarkpharma.com.

Glenmark Pharmaceuticals S.A., established in Switzerland in 2004, is a research and development centre focused on biologics. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Ltd. of India. Glenmark's biologics research centre has a robust pipeline of monoclonal antibodies in various stages of development, including bispecific antibodies. The focus of the biologics research and development centre is to develop novel biologic entities in the therapeutic areas of immunology, oncology and inflammation.

^{1. Majumder, Biswanath et al, "Predicting clinical response to anticancer drugs using an ex vivo platform that captures tumour heterogeneity" Nature Communications, Issue 6, 2015}

Contacts
Andrea Jackson
Vice President, Biopharma
Mitra Biotech
[email protected]

An Phan
Global Communications
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals
[email protected]

SOURCE Mitra Biotech