Helsinn Expands US R&D Capabilities on Heels of BridgeBio Licensing Deal

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Helsinn Group is expanding its global research and development capacity with the launch of a new dedicated hub in the U.S.

The new R&D facility is a product of Helsinn’s new licensing deal with BridgeBio and will operate under Helsinn Therapeutics (U.S.). It will be instrumental in furthering the company’s projected increase in clinical activities to develop the FGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor for cancer treatment. The goal is to transform Helsinn from a cancer supportive care organization into a fully integrated targeted therapy (FITT) company.

“With the infigratinib development work for oncology transferring to Helsinn from BridgeBio and the anticipated future additions to our pipeline, this is the perfect time to ramp up our R&D capabilities and establish a center that will support the whole Group’s R&D capabilities. This is an important strategic milestone for the global Helsinn brand and will allow us to double down on our mission to improve the lives of cancer patients, driven by our values of respect, integrity and quality,” Dr. Giorgio Calderari, chief executive officer of Helsinn Group, said in a statement. 

Helsinn plans to invest around 35% of its earnings from its supportive care and cancer therapeutics products into this new targeted venture over the next five years. 

In a statement, the firm said one key pillar that would ensure the success of transitioning into FITT status includes developing an FGFR tyrosine kinase inhibitor and making it commercially available in the U.S., Australia and Canada for patients with previously-treated locally advanced or metastatic cholangiocarcinoma (CCA) with an FGFR2 fusion or rearrangement. 

Helsinn also wants to leverage its non-exclusive deal with BridgeBio to launch a preclinical program to co-develop and co-commercialize a glutathione peroxidase 4 inhibitor, as well as move forward from current Phase I/II trials on a rearranged during transfection (RET) tyrosine kinase, which it is jointly exploring with Taiho Pharmaceutical Co. 

It is also actively looking for new opportunities for either in-licensing or acquisition. 

“By establishing this new R&D hub and enlarging our scientific expertise in the US, Helsinn is now perfectly positioned to develop products for patients with unmet needs in the largest global oncology market. This has been a highly exciting period for the Helsinn Group, and we are looking forward to welcoming many new colleagues to the Helsinn family in the weeks and months ahead,” Dr. Sergio Cantoreggi, chief scientific officer and group head of R&D at Helsinn Group, commented in the same press release. 

The company has a strong commercial portfolio of products for chemotherapy-induced nausea and vomiting, dermo-oncology and several types of cancers. Though headquartered in Lugano, Switzerland, it is operating through multiple partnerships in over 190 countries, including subsidiaries in the U.S. and a sister company, Helsinn Pharmaceuticals (Beijing), in China. 

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