Fusion Pharmaceuticals, AstraZeneca Achieve First Targeted Alpha Therapy Candidate

Fusion Pharmaceuticals Inc. announced nomination of the first targeted alpha therapy (TAT) candidate under the company's collaboration agreement with AstraZeneca. Both companies will jointly develop through a Phase 1 study the novel TAT which utilizes Fusion's Fast-Clear linker technology to radiolabel an AstraZeneca-owned bispecific antibody with the alpha-emitting isotope, actinium-225.

"Fusion is at the forefront developing a new wave of cancer therapies using alpha-emitting medical isotopes and various targeting vehicles," said John Valliant, PhD "One of the pillars of our platform is to create next-generation immunoconjugates, and we are excited to be working with AstraZeneca to pursue a novel radioimmunoconjugate for oncology. We had strong alignment among our joint development committee to move this novel TAT forward into a planned Phase 1 study and we look forward to sharing more information as we approach the investigational new drug application (IND) filing."

Under the terms of the previously announced collaboration agreement, Fusion will be operationally responsible for preclinical development through first-in-human studies, while AstraZeneca will be responsible for subsequent clinical development. The companies will share costs equally through clinical development. IND enabling studies are ongoing.

Fusion has a collaboration with AstraZeneca to jointly develop up to three novel targeted alpha therapies (TATs) and explore up to five combination programs between Fusion's TATs and AstraZeneca's DNA Damage Response Inhibitors (DDRis) and Immuno-Oncology (IO) agents.