FogPharma, Artbio collaborate on innovative radiopharma drug

FogPharma and Artbio, two notable biotechnology firms, are teaming up to innovate a new category of radiopharmaceutical drugs aimed at treating cancer. The financial details of their partnership, announced on Tuesday, were not disclosed. However, both companies will equally contribute to the joint development of medications targeting multiple types of cancer.

In March, FogPharma secured $145 million in new funding. The company specializes in Helicons, which are short chains of amino acids twisted into a helical shape. This unique structure is claimed to unlock beneficial drug properties. Meanwhile, Artbio focuses on lead-based radiopharmaceuticals designed to precisely deliver radiation into tumors.

FogPharma's CEO Mathai Mammen stated that their Helicon technology will provide new methods to target extracellular proteins while optimizing tissue distribution and elimination. Emanuele Ostuni, head of Artbio, added that the collaboration would enable Artbio to develop next-generation therapeutics specifically aimed at treating solid tumors.

The radiopharmaceutical sector is experiencing rapid growth, attracting significant investment from major companies and venture capitalists. These stakeholders are keen to leverage the potential of these drugs, which promise to balance potent cancer-killing capabilities with improved safety profiles. Artbio is among over a dozen newly established startups in this field, many of which have been acquired by industry giants such as Novartis, Eli Lilly, Bristol Myers Squibb, and AstraZeneca.

Artbio boasts several executives who previously worked at Novartis, a company that has been a major player in the radiopharmaceutical field. Novartis has seen success with its approved drugs Pluvicto and Lutathera. These drugs use lutetium as a radioisotope to treat prostate cancer and certain types of gastrointestinal tumors. Other companies are investigating actinium, which emits a different type of radiation. In contrast, Artbio is concentrating on the lead radioisotope Pb-212, which has a short half-life and can be visualized using a nuclear medicine scan known as SPECT/CT.

Artbio raised $90 million in a Series A financing round last December, underscoring the substantial interest and investment in this burgeoning field.