Company type | Subsidiary |
---|---|
Nasdaq: IMGN | |
Industry | Biopharmaceuticals |
Founded | 1981 |
Defunct | 2024 |
Fate | Acquired by AbbVie |
Headquarters | , United States |
Revenue | $65.2 million (2019) [1] |
Number of employees | 75 |
Website | www |
ImmunoGen, Inc. was a biotechnology company focused on the development of antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. ImmunoGen was founded in 1981 and was headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts. [2]
An ImmunoGen ADC contains a manufactured antibody that binds to a target found on cancer cells, with one of the company's potent cell-killing agents attached as a "payload". The antibody serves to deliver the cell-killing agent specifically to cancer cells bearing its target and the payload serves to kill these cells. In some cases, the antibody also has anticancer activity.
In November 2023, AbbVie, an American pharmaceutical company, announced it was buying ImmunoGen for $10.1 billion. [3] [4]
Currently approved ADCs with ImmunoGen technology employ one of the company's maytansinoid cell-killing agents, either DM1 or DM4, or one of the company's DNA-acting IGN payloads.
ImmunoGen also developed isatuximab, a monoclonal antibody without linkage to a toxin.
ImmunoGen uses its ADC technology to develop its own product candidates. The mirvetuximab, which has been submitted for FDA approval, is being developed as a monotherapy or a standalone treatment for ovarian cancer. [7] [8] Other products currently in clinical-stage development include: [9]
The company also selectively out licenses limited use of its technology to other companies. Companies licensing ImmunoGen's technology include Amgen, Bayer HealthCare, Biotest, Genentech/Roche, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Sanofi, and Takeda. [9] Roche's Kadcyla (ado-trastuzumab emtansine) utilizes ImmunoGen's ADC technology. It has been approved and launched in a number of countries, including the US, where it is marketed by Genentech, a member of the Roche Group. [14] [15] In October 2015, the company disclosed that Kadcyla had failed to meet its primary endpoint in the Phase II/III GATSBY trial investigating the second line treatment of HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer. [16]
Genentech, Inc. is an American biotechnology corporation headquartered in South San Francisco, California. It became an independent subsidiary of Roche in 2009. Genentech Research and Early Development operates as an independent center within Roche. Historically, the company is regarded as the world's first biotechnology company.
Trastuzumab, sold under the brand name Herceptin among others, is a monoclonal antibody used to treat breast cancer and stomach cancer. It is specifically used for cancer that is HER2 receptor positive. It may be used by itself or together with other chemotherapy medication. Trastuzumab is given by slow injection into a vein and injection just under the skin.
Cancer immunotherapy (immuno-oncotherapy) is the stimulation of the immune system to treat cancer, improving the immune system's natural ability to fight the disease. It is an application of the fundamental research of cancer immunology (immuno-oncology) and a growing subspecialty of oncology.
Gemtuzumab ozogamicin, sold under the brand name Mylotarg®, is an antibody-drug conjugate that is used to treat acute myeloid leukemia (AML).
Pertuzumab, sold under the brand name Perjeta, is a monoclonal antibody used in combination with trastuzumab and docetaxel for the treatment of metastatic HER2-positive breast cancer; it also used in the same combination as a neoadjuvant in early HER2-positive breast cancer.
Cantuzumab mertansine is an antibody-drug conjugate investigated to treat colorectal cancer and other types of cancer. It is a humanized monoclonal antibody, cantuzumab (huC242) linked to a cytotoxic agent, mertansine (DM1). It was developed by ImmunoGen.
Genmab A/S is a Danish biotechnology company, founded in February 1999 by Florian Schönharting, at the time managing director of BankInvest Biomedical venture fund. The company is based in Copenhagen, Denmark – internationally, it operates through the subsidiaries Genmab B.V. in Utrecht, the Netherlands, Genmab U.S., Inc. in Princeton, New Jersey, US, and Genmab K.K. in Tokyo, Japan. Genmab is a dual-listed company with shares traded on both the Copenhagen Stock Exchange in Denmark and the NASDAQ Global Select Market in the US.
Obinutuzumab, sold under the brand name Gazyva among others, is a humanized anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody used as a treatment for cancer. It was originated by GlycArt Biotechnology AG and developed by Roche.
Milatuzumab is an anti-CD74 humanized monoclonal antibody for the treatment of multiple myeloma non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
Mertansine, also called DM1, is a thiol-containing maytansinoid that for therapeutic purposes is attached to a monoclonal antibody through reaction of the thiol group with a linker structure to create an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC).
Maitansine (INN), or maytansine (USAN), is a cytotoxic agent. It inhibits the assembly of microtubules by binding to tubulin at the rhizoxin binding site. The maytansine binding site and binding mode has been characterized.
Antibody–drug conjugates or ADCs are a class of biopharmaceutical drugs designed as a targeted therapy for treating cancer. Unlike chemotherapy, ADCs are intended to target and kill tumor cells while sparing healthy cells. As of 2019, some 56 pharmaceutical companies were developing ADCs.
Trastuzumab emtansine, sold under the brand name Kadcyla, is an antibody-drug conjugate consisting of the humanized monoclonal antibody trastuzumab (Herceptin) covalently linked to the cytotoxic agent DM1. Trastuzumab alone stops growth of cancer cells by binding to the HER2 receptor, whereas trastuzumab emtansine undergoes receptor-mediated internalization into cells, is catabolized in lysosomes where DM1-containing catabolites are released and subsequently bind tubulin to cause mitotic arrest and cell death. Trastuzumab binding to HER2 prevents homodimerization or heterodimerization (HER2/HER3) of the receptor, ultimately inhibiting the activation of MAPK and PI3K/AKT cellular signalling pathways. Because the monoclonal antibody targets HER2, and HER2 is only over-expressed in cancer cells, the conjugate delivers the cytotoxic agent DM1 specifically to tumor cells. The conjugate is abbreviated T-DM1.
Lorvotuzumab mertansine (IMGN901) is an antibody-drug conjugate. It comprises the CD56-binding antibody, lorvotuzumab (huN901), with a maytansinoid cell-killing agent, DM1, attached using a disulfide linker, SPP.
Indatuximab ravtansine (BT062) is an immunomodulator and antineoplastic antibody-drug conjugate.
Cantuzumab ravtansine (huC242-SPDB-DM4) is an antibody-drug conjugate designed for the treatment of cancers. The humanized monoclonal antibody cantuzumab (huC242) is linked to a cytotoxic agent, ravtansine (DM4). It uses a more hindered disulfide linkage than cantuzumab mertansine.
AbbVie Inc. is an American pharmaceutical company headquartered in North Chicago, Illinois. It is ranked sixth on the list of largest biomedical companies by revenue. In 2023, the company's seat in Forbes Global 2000 was 74, and rank 89 on the 2024 list. The company's primary product is Humira (adalimumab), administered via injection. It is approved to treat autoimmune diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, plaque psoriasis, and ulcerative colitis.
Seagen Inc. is an American biotechnology company focused on developing and commercializing innovative, empowered monoclonal antibody-based therapies for the treatment of cancer. The company, headquartered in Bothell, Washington, is the industry leader in antibody-drug conjugates or ADCs, a technology designed to harness the targeting ability of monoclonal antibodies to deliver cell-killing agents directly to cancer cells. Antibody-drug conjugates are intended to spare non-targeted cells and thus reduce many of the toxic effects of traditional chemotherapy, while potentially enhancing antitumor activity.
Sutro Biopharma, Inc. is a publicly traded biotechnology company headquartered in South San Francisco, California focused on clinical-stage drug discovery, development and manufacturing. Using a proprietary cell-free protein synthesis platform, Sutro is working on oncology therapeutics using protein engineering and rational design. Founded in 2003 under the name Fundamental Applied Biology, the company name changed to Sutro Biopharma in 2009. William Newell, CEO as of 2024, joined Sutro in January 2009.
Venetoclax, sold under the brand names Venclexta and Venclyxto, is a medication used to treat adults with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL), small lymphocytic lymphoma (SLL), or acute myeloid leukemia (AML).