GSK, SpringWorks end Blenrep combo partnership

GSK has achieved notable progress with Blenrep (belantamab mafodotin), a BCMA-targeting antibody-drug conjugate, which signals its potential re-entry into the multiple myeloma market. However, even if Blenrep returns, it will not be in combination with SpringWorks Therapeutics' nirogacestat.

On June 6, SpringWorks announced that GSK had decided to terminate their 2022 non-exclusive license agreement, which focused on testing Blenrep with SpringWorks' investigational oral gamma secretase inhibitor in multiple myeloma patients. The termination will take effect 180 days from the notice date. This decision follows roughly 18 months after the companies expanded their partnership through an agreement worth up to $625 million to SpringWorks. The deal included a $75-million equity investment from GSK and up to $550 million in milestone payments.

GSK and SpringWorks initially partnered in 2019, and their collaboration was amended in 2021 to cover the initial clinical development of the nirogacestat and Blenrep combination for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma patients. The expanded agreement in 2022 aimed to study this combination in earlier treatment lines, including for newly diagnosed patients.

Despite the termination of the agreement, GSK will continue the ongoing trials of nirogacestat plus low-dose Blenrep in the 27 patients currently enrolled until completion. SpringWorks will support these trials by supplying the drug and aiding in publication plans. There are no financial obligations for SpringWorks resulting from the termination, and the biotech company retains the rights to continue the development and commercialization of nirogacestat and other pipeline programs. Furthermore, SpringWorks maintains ongoing partnerships with major pharmaceutical companies such as Johnson & Johnson, Pfizer, Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, and AbbVie to test nirogacestat in various combinations.

Blenrep was withdrawn from the U.S. market in late 2022 and faced a similar fate in the EU after failing to show a survival benefit in later-line multiple myeloma patients. However, recent successes in the Phase III DREAMM-7 and DREAMM-8 studies have renewed optimism for the drug. The results from the DREAMM-8 study were presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) annual meeting earlier this month, providing a fresh perspective on Blenrep's potential.

GSK has indicated that it plans to submit Blenrep for regulatory approval as a second-line and later treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in various regions, including the U.S., EU, Japan, and China, in the latter half of this year. This move underscores the company's commitment to re-establish Blenrep in the multiple myeloma treatment landscape, offering hope to patients with limited treatment options.

In summary, while the termination of the collaboration between GSK and SpringWorks marks the end of their joint efforts with Blenrep and nirogacestat, both companies continue to forge ahead with their respective clinical and developmental pursuits. GSK remains focused on reviving Blenrep's market presence, backed by promising clinical trial outcomes, while SpringWorks continues to advance its nirogacestat program and other pipeline initiatives through strategic partnerships.