Ryvu Therapeutics Partners with nCage Therapeutics on Next-Gen ADC Platform Development

In KRAKOW, Poland, on October 29, 2024, Ryvu Therapeutics and nCage Therapeutics announced a new research collaboration aimed at developing a next-generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) platform. nCage Therapeutics has pioneered the TRAP cage platform, which involves synthetic virus-like particles (VLPs) that can display biological material on their surface or transport molecules like nucleic acids or proteins into target cells. The collaboration's primary focus is on using the TRAP cage as a novel drug delivery system (DDS) to enhance the efficacy and safety of current ADCs.

The collaboration is promising due to the potential of nCage's TRAP cage platform to improve the antibody-to-drug ratio (DAR), which could result in increased efficacy and reduced side effects for novel ADCs. ADCs have shown significant success in clinical trials, but more than 40% of patients still experience severe side effects. By improving the DAR, the collaboration aims to reduce the toxicity of drug payloads and expand the patient population that could benefit from these therapies.

Both Ryvu and nCage anticipate a long-term partnership that will significantly enhance the TRAP cage for drug delivery, potentially leading to groundbreaking oncology therapies. John Bason, CEO of nCage, expressed optimism about the partnership, highlighting the potential to develop best-in-class products for numerous viral targets. He emphasized the partnership's role in developing a new dimension of the company, driving its growth and innovation.

Krzysztof Brzózka, Chief Scientific Officer of Ryvu, also voiced enthusiasm for the collaboration. He pointed out the exciting opportunity to combine Ryvu's expertise in small molecules and ADC payloads with nCage's novel delivery platform. Brzózka is optimistic about the potential of this collaboration to produce more effective and safer therapies in the expanding field of next-generation ADCs.

Both companies will bear their own costs in executing the collaboration, and any data generated will be jointly owned. Ryvu and nCage are eager to share more information about the collaboration as progress is made.

Ryvu Therapeutics is a clinical-stage drug discovery and development company focused on creating novel small-molecule therapies targeting emerging cancer biology aspects. Ryvu's pipeline includes candidates driven by diverse therapeutic mechanisms, including small molecules targeting kinases, synthetic lethality, and immuno-oncology targets. The company's most advanced program, RVU120, is a selective CDK8/CDK19 kinase inhibitor in Phase II development for treating various hematological malignancies and solid tumors through multiple studies.

Another prominent program, MEN1703 (SEL24), is a dual PIM/FLT3 kinase inhibitor licensed to the Menarini Group, with a Phase II study in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) expected to start in late 2024. Ryvu is also developing RVU305, a PRMT5 inhibitor aimed at treating multiple solid tumors, currently undergoing IND/CTA-enabling studies. Since its founding in 2007, Ryvu has signed 11 partnering and licensing agreements with global companies, including BioNTech and Exelixis. The company is headquartered in Kraków, Poland, and is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange.

nCage Therapeutics, founded in 2019, is a biopharmaceutical company based in Krakow that focuses on developing its synthetic VLP platform technology. This platform is used to create vaccines against infectious diseases and develop second-generation ADCs. The VLP platform features a universal hook system to display antigens or biological targeting moieties on a protein scaffold's exterior while loading peptide antigens or drug payloads inside the VLP. This approach aims to provide a controlled release of cytotoxic payloads, offering a superior safety and toxicity profile compared to currently available ADCs. nCage's lead program targets respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and other respiratory viruses. The company's pipeline includes additional combination and respiratory vaccine candidates, such as influenza and SARS-CoV-2. nCage originated from breakthrough research conducted at the Malopolska Centre of Biotechnology (MCB) of Jagiellonian University in Krakow.