Company holds the right to commercialize any resulting products.
Systems Medicine (SM), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cell Therapeutics (CTI), entered into a CRADA with the NCI. The goal is to develop products for the treatment of cancer—specifically human monoclonal antibodies (hmAbs), peptides, and small molecules that affect signal transduction through the insulin-like growth factor (IGF) receptor type I and the insulin receptor.
The contract is effective for five years beginning July 31. SM has the option to select an exclusive or nonexclusive commercialization license to any inventions developed under the CRADA. Scientists at SM and CTI will work with scientists at the Protein Interaction Group at the NCI campus in Frederick, MD.
“This is important research being conducted by leaders in the field at NCI that may offer advantages over other therapeutics directed at this target,” notes James A. Bianco, M.D., president and CEO of Cell Therapeutics. “If successful, CTI would have exclusive rights to negotiate with NIH for a product that targets the ligand that activates the IGF receptor, unlike current approaches to IGF inhibition that target the receptor directly.”
