NETHERLANDS – Pleco Therapeutics, a specialty biopharmaceutical company has announced a strategic partnership with Hyloris Pharmaceuticals, to develop and commercialize a novel Plecoid Agent to improve the efficacy of Acute Myeloid Leukaemia (AML) and Small Cell Lung Cancer (SCLC) chemotherapeutics.

As per the terms of the agreement, Hyloris will provide US$ 1.15 million (€1 million) in several tranches over time, automatically convertible into Pleco equity under certain conditions.

Additionally, the deal provides for a potential funding by Hyloris of up to an additional US$ 8.83 million (€7.7 million) in pre-defined R&D activities against an agreed development plan.

Pleco’s fixed-dose combination (FDC) PTX-061 for the treatment of AML has been granted global exclusive co-development rights and future joint commercialization to Hyloris, with the potential to expand into SCLC with its PTX-062 program.

Depending on sales volume, the companies will split global gross product margins in AML and SCLC.

Plecoid FDC is a patented, novel, clinical-stage candidate drug that combines chelating agents with distinct properties.

Previous research has linked high levels of toxic metals to a lower chance of survival in AML patients. Exploratory clinical trials in AML patients are currently underway to assess the metal rebalancing effect of chelating agents administered concurrently with chemotherapy.

These exploratory studies’ preliminary findings indicate that complete remission rates are high and survival rates are improving.

A different class of cancer therapeutic agent Tecentriq, a monoclonal antibody developed by Roche has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of advanced-stage small cell lung cancer in combination with other chemotherapies.

Tecentriq works by binding to a protein called Programmed Cell Death-Ligand 1 (PD-L1) that is expressed on tumor cells and tumor-infiltrating immune cells, preventing it from interacting with both the PD-1 and B7.1, receptors thereby activating the T cells to kill cancerous cells.

Tecentriq was not only the first cancer immunotherapy approved for adjuvant non-small cell lung cancer, but it was also the first cancer immunotherapy approved for front-line treatment of adults with advanced-stage small cell lung cancer in combination with carboplatin and etoposide.

Tecentriq is also approved the European Union, and other countries for the treatment of cancer, either alone or in combination with targeted therapies and/or chemotherapies in four different indications.

Tecentriq is available in three dosing options, thus providing the flexibility to choose administration every two, three, or four weeks.

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