Basilea teams up with Glioblastoma Foundation for lisavanbulin

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd, based in Allschwil, Switzerland, has announced a significant asset purchase agreement with the Glioblastoma Foundation Inc. This deal involves Basilea's oncology drug candidate, lisavanbulin (BAL101553), which has been developed as a potential treatment for glioblastoma, a prevalent and aggressive form of primary brain cancer.

Dr. Marc Engelhardt, Chief Medical Officer at Basilea, emphasized the importance of this partnership, noting the limited therapeutic options available for glioblastoma. He highlighted that this agreement allows patients to continue accessing lisavanbulin, aligning with Basilea's shift in strategic focus towards anti-infectives.

Dr. Gita Kwatra, Chief Executive Officer of the Glioblastoma Foundation, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership. She acknowledged lisavanbulin's promising results in preclinical and early-phase clinical studies, underscoring its potential effectiveness in a subset of glioblastoma patients. The foundation plans to initiate clinical trials of lisavanbulin in the United States.

The agreement terms involve Basilea transferring all rights to lisavanbulin to the Glioblastoma Foundation for an undisclosed initial purchase price. Basilea will also benefit from future proceeds from any potential commercial partnerships through a fixed double-digit percentage. Additionally, the Glioblastoma Foundation will maintain the post-trial access program, ensuring that patients from previous clinical studies can continue receiving lisavanbulin. They will also further investigate lisavanbulin's therapeutic potential for glioblastoma treatment.

Lisavanbulin, also known as BAL101553 and the prodrug of BAL27862, has shown significant promise in clinical studies. In both phase 1 and 2 trials, it demonstrated activity against various treatment-resistant cancer models, including tumors unresponsive to approved therapeutics and radiotherapy. Lisavanbulin efficiently distributes to the brain and has shown anticancer activity in glioblastoma models. The active component, BAL27862, binds to the colchicine site of tubulin, impacting microtubule organization and triggering the "spindle assembly checkpoint," which promotes tumor cell death. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted lisavanbulin Orphan Drug Designation for the treatment of malignant glioma, including glioblastoma.

The Glioblastoma Foundation, headquartered in Durham, North Carolina, is dedicated to transforming the standard of care for glioblastoma. The foundation supports the development of new and effective therapies for glioblastoma, recognizing the need for targeted treatments due to the variability of the disease among patients. They provide patient support and work to raise awareness about glioblastoma.

Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2000, with its headquarters in Switzerland. The company focuses on developing and commercializing innovative drugs to treat severe bacterial and fungal infections. Basilea has successfully launched two hospital brands: Cresemba for invasive fungal infections and Zevtera for bacterial infections. Their portfolio includes preclinical and clinical-stage anti-infective assets. Basilea is publicly traded on the SIX Swiss Exchange under the ticker symbol BSLN.