It is also Glenmark’s second clinical candidate targeting an oncology indication
Glenmark Pharmaceuticals SA (GPSA), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Glenmark Pharmaceuticals Limited India (GPL), has announced the discovery and initiation of IND-enabling studies for a novel clinical development candidate, GBR 1342. GBR 1342 is a CD38xCD3 bi-specific antibody based on Glenmark’s proprietary BEAT® platform. GBR 1342 is the second clinical development candidate (following GBR 1302 a HER2xCD3 bi‐specific antibody) based on the BEAT technology. It is also Glenmark’s second clinical candidate targeting oncology indications.
CD38 is one of the few known markers for plasma cells and is a well‐established target for multiple myeloma, a cancer caused by malignant plasma cells. CD38 is potentially also a target for other haematopoietic malignancies.
GBR 1342’s mode of action is similar to GBR 1302, Glenmark’s first CD3 redirecting antibody. GBR 1342 redirects cytotoxic T cells through its CD3 binding arm onto CD38‐expressing cancer cells and induces the killing of these cancer cells by the T cells. Glenmark is committed to moving GBR 1342 rapidly into clinical trials.
BEAT (Bi‐specific Engagement by Antibodies based on the T cell receptor) is Glenmark’s technology for production of bi‐specific antibodies. Engaging two targets with one bi‐specific antibody is a novel concept to design new therapeutics. For the past 20 years, bi‐specific antibodies have been a challenge to the industry since most bi‐specific formats developed thus far have stability and/or manufacturing issues. With the invention of the BEAT technology Glenmark’s scientists have now overcome these hurdles and are able to efficiently engineer and manufacture bi‐specific antibodies.