Spectrum Licenses Cancer Med to MD Anderson Cancer Center

 Spectrum Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (NasdaqGS: SPPI), a biotechnology company with fully integrated commercial and drug development operations with a primary focus in hematology and oncology, announced today an exclusive licensing agreement with The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center for intellectual property related to certain methods of use of poziotinib.

“We have been aggressively pursuing the potential of exon 20 mutations and treatment with poziotinib since the inception of our relationship with MD Anderson, but we’ve both only begun to scratch the surface of the science and poziotinib’s potential as a targeted treatment for various solid tumors,” said Joe Turgeon, president and CEO of Spectrum Pharmaceuticals. “Late-stage poziotinib clinical data targeting the exon 20 mutations are promising, and we are thrilled to enter this new agreement that strengthens and potentially extends our patent protection until 2037 as we continue this journey of discovery together.”

“Dr. John Heymach and his Lung Cancer Moon Shot team uncovered the potential of Spectrum’s drug poziotinib to help a neglected group of lung cancer patients and then worked closely with the company to bring this targeted therapy to clinical trial rapidly,” said Ferran Prat, Ph.D., J.D., MD Anderson senior vice president, research administration and industry relations. “We are delighted to continue our collaboration with Spectrum under this agreement, which highlights how MD Anderson allies with private sector partners to provide new options for cancer patients.”

Under the terms of the agreement, Spectrum has been granted a license that includes rights to filed patents related to exon 20 as well as any unidentified discoveries related to the use of poziotinib that may come from Dr. Heymach’s lab at MD Anderson in the future. The filed patents, if granted, are expected to extend the intellectual property protection to 2037. This agreement with MD Anderson further solidifies and extends Spectrum’s intellectual property protection for poziotinib.

Poziotinib is a novel, Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor (EGFR TKI) that inhibits the tyrosine kinase activity of EGFR as well as HER2 and HER4. Importantly this, in turn, leads to the inhibition of the proliferation of tumor cells that overexpress these receptors. Mutations or overexpression/amplification of EGFR family receptors have been associated with a number of different cancers, including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), breast cancer, and gastric cancer. Spectrum received exclusive license to develop, manufacture, and commercialize worldwide excluding Korea and China from Hanmi Pharmaceuticals. Poziotinib is currently being investigated by Spectrum and Hanmi in several mid-stage trials in multiple solid tumor indications.

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