Bicycle switches on to radiopharma in new cancer breakthrough
Based in Cambridge and the US and quoted on Nasdaq in the States, Bicycle has presented the first human imaging data validating the potential of MT1-MMP as a novel target in the treatment of cancer.
And it has demonstrated the positive properties of Bicycle Radionuclide Conjugates (BRC®) for radiopharmaceutical use, as well as preclinical data demonstrating optimised BRC radioisotope delivery. The revelations came at the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) 2024 Congress in Hamburg, Germany.
Bicycle is a pharmaceutical company pioneering a new and differentiated class of therapeutics based on its proprietary bicyclic peptide (Bicycle®) technology.
CEO Kevin Lee said: “Since our founding, our goal at Bicycle Therapeutics has been to leverage the power of our platform in areas where we can have the most impact for patients.
“Over the years, we have built a robust pipeline of oncology therapies that includes targeted drug conjugates, immuno-oncology agents and now, radiopharmaceuticals.
“The exciting data presented at EANM underscore the potential of our Bicycle Radionuclide Conjugates to deliver a range of isotopes to novel cancer targets.
“Through our strategy of pursuing novel targets with first-in-class potential and selecting the isotope that best aligns with the target biology and indication, we have an opportunity to potentially broaden the use of radiopharmaceuticals to diagnose and treat cancer.”
In line with Bicycle Therapeutics’ radiopharmaceuticals strategy, the company selected tumour antigen EphA2 as its second BRC target and signed a letter of intent with leading isotope technology company Eckert & Ziegler to put in place an agreement to supply a range of radioisotopes and develop and manufacture BRC molecules.
Through its internal pipeline of wholly owned molecules and strategic collaborations with industry and academic leaders in the field, Bicycle aims to be at the forefront of the development of next-generation radiopharmaceutical therapies.
Bicycle® molecules have ideal properties for radioisotope delivery due to their low molecular weight, high selectivity and affinity for their intended target and rapid systemic clearance, the company stresses.
CTO Michael Skynner added: “The data presented at EANM demonstrate how our Bicycle® platform is a powerful tool for de novo identification of high-quality binders to important cancer targets.
“We believe the ability to optimise the biodistribution properties of our molecules, significantly reducing kidney retention while retaining rapid, selective uptake in tumours, position Bicycle Radionuclide Conjugates as a potentially best-in-class approach for targeted radionuclide therapy.
“MT1-MMP is the first target for radiopharmaceutical development that we are pursuing given its expression in many solid tumours such as non-small cell lung cancer, oesophageal and triple negative breast cancer.”
