Research We Fund

In January 2023, LLS made an equity investment in BioInvent to "Support Clinical Development of BI-1206 for NHL Indications and BI-1808 for T-Cell Lymphoma Indications Including CTCL."

BioInvent International AB is a clinical-stage biotech company that discovers and develops novel and first-in-class immuno-modulatory antibodies for cancer therapy, with currently four drug candidates in five ongoing clinical programs in Phase 1/2 trials for the treatment of hematological cancer and solid tumors, respectively. The Company's validated, proprietary F.I.R.S.T™ technology platform identifies both targets and the antibodies that bind to them, generating many promising new drug candidates to fuel the Company's own clinical development pipeline and providing licensing and partnering opportunities.

BI-1808 is an anti-TNFR2 antibody being evaluated in a Phase 2 trial, as a single agent and in combination with the anti-PD-1 therapy Keytruda^® (pembrolizumab) in patients with ovarian cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (NCT04752826).

Overactivation of the inflammasome is seen in CMML and leads to worsening of this condition. We will explore the potential of a new inflammasome inhibitor drug, HT-6184, in CMML patient samples and in animal models. Our preliminary results show that this drug can decrease inflammation and improve red cell development in CMML models. The new drug is approved for clinical trial use and our work will potentially lead to its use in clinical investigations in CMML.

Chronic myelomonocytic leukemia (CMML) is a rare but poorly understood blood cancer often presenting with crippling inflammatory symptoms that frequently evolves into acute leukemia. In an ongoing clinical trial, we have compelling molecular and clinical data that this disease responds effectively to blockade of GM-CSF with lenzulimab, a well-tolerated and safe antibody, in combination with azacitidine. Here, we propose an integrated research program to investigate targeting of the GM-CSF pathway in high risk CMML using our carefully matched patient samples, proprietary GM-CSF tools, and humanized in vivo CMML models.

Multiple myeloma causes devastating bone disease characterised by focal bone lesions and generalise bone loss, which leads to an increase in bone fractures. Current therapies only stop bones from getting worse so patients continue to suffer fractures. We discovered that inhibiting a molecule called sclerostin in mice increases bone and is much better than current treatments. In this program we will investigate whether inhibiting sclerostin is able to restore lost bone and reduce fractures in patients with myeloma.