- Lonza and Qurient Co. Ltd. have signed an exclusive license agreement for the use of Qurient’s cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) inhibitors in dual-payload antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) applications.
- The agreement expands Lonza’s ADC technology portfolio with SYN-duo® CC, a dual-payload format combining a topoisomerase 1 inhibitor with Qurient’s CDK7 inhibitor.
Lonza and clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company Qurient Co. Ltd. have entered an exclusive license agreement covering the use of Qurient’s cyclin-dependent kinase 7 (CDK7) inhibitors in dual-payload antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs). The agreement will expand Lonza’s ADC technology offering and support developers exploring new approaches to cancer therapies.
Under the agreement, Lonza will offer SYN-duo® CC, a dual-payload ADC format combining exatecan, a camptothecin derivative and topoisomerase 1 inhibitor, with Qurient’s CDK7 inhibitor. The format is designed so that the CDK7 inhibitor can potentiate the activity of the topoisomerase 1 inhibitor within a single targeted therapeutic approach. The agreement also allows Lonza to use its existing proprietary platform to develop additional combinations of Qurient’s CDK7 inhibitor with other payloads.
Dual-payload ADCs carry two different cytotoxic payloads on a single antibody, enabling them to target tumor cells through multiple mechanisms. Qurient’s licensed CDK7 inhibitor is described as a highly selective and potent clinical-stage compound designed to target multiple hallmarks of cancer.
“Dual-payload ADCs are among the most promising areas of innovation for customers developing differentiated cancer therapies. The agreement adds another payload technology to Lonza’s ADC portfolio and supports customers from early technology evaluation through development, manufacturing, and commercialization.”
Christian Seufert, head of Advanced Synthesis at Lonza
Qurient CEO Kiyean Nam said the agreement expands the potential application of the company’s CDK7 inhibitors across a broader range of ADC programs. The partnership supports Lonza’s strategy to expand proprietary technologies that complement its integrated contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) services.
