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Perseus Proteomics and UBE Sign a Collaborative Research Agreement on Antibody-Drug Conjugates (ADC)

2024/10/21 News Release

Perseus Proteomics Inc. (Head Office: Chuo-ku, Tokyo; President & CEO: Takuya Yokokawa; hereinafter referred to as "Perseus Proteomics") and UBE Corporation (Head Office: Minato-ku, Tokyo; President & Representative Director: Masato Izumihara; hereinafter referred to as "UBE") are pleased to announce that they have signed a collaborative research agreement on antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). *1

Perseus Proteomics, which aims to discover antibody drugs, and UBE, which has strengths in drugs and linkers *2 that bind to antibodies, are currently collaborating on the research and development of PPMX-T004, an ADC. In addition to PPMX-T004, the two companies have decided to broadly collaborate on exploratory research into ADCs for their respective research themes as well as various external drug discovery seeds from academia and other sources. The research will be conducted leveraging their respective ADC technologies, which optimize antibody and drug/linker combinations for each drug target with efficacy and toxicity used as indicators.

The impact of this agreement on the financial results of Perseus Proteomics and UBE for the fiscal year ending March 2025 is expected to be minor. However, the two companies believe that it will contribute to business expansion in the medium to long term.

  1. Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs): ADCs are expected to have high efficacy against cancer cells because they bind drugs with strong cytotoxicity to antibodies, allowing the drugs to selectively accumulate in targeted cancer cells and efficiently kill them.
  2. Linker: A component of an ADC that binds drugs to antibodies. In addition to controlling the number and location of drugs attached to the antibody, it can also control when and how the drugs are released.

Perseus Proteomics Inc.

Founded in February 2001, the company is a biotech venture originated from the University of Tokyo that aims to develop antibody drugs. It develops antibody drugs, primarily in the cancer field, by utilizing the phage display method, which uses highly diverse libraries and screening technologies, the traditional hybridoma method, and single-cell cloning technologies. The current pipeline consists of three candidate drugs: PPMX-T002, PPMX-T003, and PPMX-T004.
https://www.ppmx.com/en/

UBE Corporation

UBE Corporation encompasses a group of specialty chemicals businesses, of which the pharmaceuticals business comprises the core of its life sciences portfolio, progressing beyond its track record of discoveries in small molecule therapeutics into high added-value products such as ADCs (antibody-drug conjugates). Alongside is a CDMO (contract development and manufacturing organization) business, which is strengthening its existing small molecule production capacity while also acquiring capabilities in novel modalities such as oligonucleotide therapeutics. UBE's life science businesses will continue to offer solutions that enhance and protect human life and health.
https://www.ube.com/ube/en/

Contact

Administrative Department, Perseus Proteomics Inc.
Tel: +81-3-6264-8224; E-mail: ir@ppmx.com

Public Relations Group, Corporate Communication Department, UBE Corporation
Tel: +81-3-5419-6110; E-mail: contact_pr@ube.com