Avecho Biotechnology signs agreement to advance the use of TPM in leading oncology drugs

Avecho Biotechnology (ASX: AVE) has signed an agreement with Arthur Group LLC for the licensing and development of a series of leading cancer drugs using tocopherol phosphate mixture (or TPM) to replace conventional adverse solvents or surfactants.

The strategic partnership includes rights to five of Arthur’s 23 commercial oncology products, representing a combined US total market opportunity for these products of $4.39 billion.

Under the terms of the agreement, Arthur Group will pay for all formulation, non-clinical and clinical development of the products while Avecho will receive 30% of the revenue from licensing and 30% of the net profit from commercialisation.

Completion of initial formulations is expected to take up to 18 months.

Promising extension

Avecho chief executive officer Dr Paul Gavin said the agreement was a “promising extension” of the company’s business development program.

“Working with credible third parties like Arthur Group to leverage the tested capabilities of TPM in enhancing the performance of our cancer drug portfolio is deeply rewarding for our team and supportive of our current commercial focus,” he said.

“Arthur Group will start with initial formulation screening of its licensed drugs to determine which are most compatible with TPM and will prioritise the most receptive drugs.”

Dissolving injectables

Avecho has previously demonstrated that Vitamin E-based TPM can dissolve poorly-water soluble injectable drugs which have conventionally needed adverse solvents or surfactants to dissolve.

A large number of high-potency oncology drugs are known to have poor aqueous solubility and require solvents such as cremophor which come with a range of adverse side effects including hypersensitivity, hyperlipidaemia, abnormal lipoprotein patterns, an aggregation of erythrocytes and peripheral neuropathy.

Replacing these solvents with cremaphor-free TPM is believed to support safer, clinician-preferred dosage forms.

It is expected to boost productivity levels in hospitals, as cremaphor prevents the use of standard hospital equipment such as polyvinyl chloride infusion bags.

It may also simplify patient management by eliminating the need for premedication to prevent hypersensitivity.

It is anticipated that cremaphor-free oncology products using TPM could eventually displace existing oncology products containing adverse solvents.