US-based Apollomics Inc., a late-stage clinical biopharmaceutical company developing multiple oncology drug candidates to address difficult-to-treat and treatment-resistant cancers, and Taiwan-based LaunXP International Co., an affiliate of LaunXP Biomedical Co. have entered into an agreement for the development and commercialisation in Asia (excluding mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau) (the LaunXP Territory) of vebreltinib, Apollomics’ proprietary c-Met inhibitor, in combination with an EGFR inhibitor (EGFRi) for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The EGFRi class of targeted kinase inhibitors is currently a foundational targeted therapy for the treatment of NSCLC and other tumor types.
“EGFRi is currently the frontline treatment for many patients with NSCLC, and combining it with our c-Met inhibitor vebreltinib is expected to transform the standard of care,” said Dr Guo-Liang Yu, CEO of Apollomics. “We believe that LaunXP can advance this development programme rapidly in this patient population, bringing us closer to potentially improving outcomes for many patients with NSCLC. We will continue to seek opportunities to maximise the global opportunity for vebreltinib, both as a single agent and in combination approaches for the treatment of cancers.”
Dr Chiu-Heng Chen, Chairman and President of LaunXP said, “By delaying the emergence of mutations which cause EGFRi resistance, we hope to demonstrate clinically that better patient outcomes can be achieved.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Apollomics is to receive upfront payments totaling $10 million within 60 days of the date of the agreement. Apollomics is also eligible for regulatory and other pre-commercial milestones up to $50 million, and royalties on net product sales. LaunXP will be primarily responsible for the development of vebreltinib in combination with an EGFRi in the LaunXP territory for the treatment of NSCLC.
