OBT in the News

BI 764532 is a novel, investigational DLL3/CD3 IgG-like T-cell engager designed to redirect T cells toward DLL3 protein expressed by cancer cells. In preclinical trials, the agent showed robust antitumor activity against DLL3-positive cells and xenograft models. In October 2023, the FDA granted a fast track designation to BI 764532 as an option for patients with extensive-stage small cel lung cancer (ES-SCLC)  that has progressed after at least 2 prior lines of treatment, including platinum-based chemotherapy, and for patients with advanced or metastatic extrapulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma (epNEC) whose disease has progressed following at least 1 prior line of treatment including platinum-based chemotherapy.

BI 764532 was evaluated as part of a phase 1 trial (NCT04429087) among patients with DLL3-positive SCLC and NEC. Findings from the study were presented at the 2023 American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) Annual Meeting.

The discovery of BI 764532 was enabled through a successful partnership between Oxford BioTherapeutics and Boehringer Ingelheim, initiated in 2013, leveraging OBT’s proprietary OGAP® drug discovery platform for identification of the DLL3 antigen and Boehringer Ingelheim’s longstanding expertise in oncology and development of biotherapeutics

Oxford BioTherapeutics expanded its US-based trial investigating OBT-076 as monotherapy and combination treatment to European sites. The trial is investigating OBT-076 in combination with Agenus’ anti-PD1 checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) balstilimab. The combination trial will enrol patients who are CPI-naïve and resistant patients with advanced solid tumours, including lung, gastric and ovarian cancers. Alongside the combination trial expansion, Oxford BioTherapeutics is also extending the monotherapy cohorts into European sites. Both monotherapy and combination expansions will enrol approximately 150 patients in France, Belgium, and Greece. Oxford BioTherapeutics is also adding new sites in the US.

OBT's extension of its second collaboration with BI, for an additional two years, as well as adding further programs into the existing collaboration, was featured in Endpoints News. April 2023 marked ten years of OBT's partnership with BI, since then BI has selected three targets discovered using OBT's proprietary OGAP platform with two leading to candidates in Phase I.

In an interview with the Medicine Maker, CEO Christian Rohlff discusses how OBT leverages the potential of ADCs to develop exciting new treatment modalities as well as their growing market share: "Another major trend is the convergence between ADCs and immunotherapies. As we understand more about immuno-suppressive cells in the tumor microenvironment, it may allow us to harness the dual targeting of cancer cells and immuno-suppressive cells to develop innovative treatments for cancer. ADCs could potentially be used to re-engage and reactivate a patient’s immune system, thereby “priming” a patient for immunotherapy. Bringing these therapies together could improve the treatment landscape for both kinds of medicines."

OBT has been honoured with two prestigious awards: the ‘Tech Company of the Year’ and the ‘Special Recognition Award’, at The Business Magazine’s fourth annual Thames Valley SME Growth 100 Awards. These awards celebrate the region's most active small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) that have grown significantly in the past year. OBT was declared a double-award winner in recognition of its successful growth in 2022, which saw the company double both its turnover and headcount, and apply these additional resources to establish new R&D and clinical partnerships with major players in the international biotechnology space while simultaneously strengthening and extending its drug development pipeline.