Roche acquires PD-1-dependent IL-2 program of Good Therapeutics

Good Therapeutics has entered into a merger agreement to be acquired by Roche to gain rights to the PD-1 regulated IL-2 program and the platform rights associated with this program. Roche will pay Good Therapeutics $250 million cash upfront and future development, regulatory and commercial milestones. The acquisition is expected to close in the third quarter of 2022. Following this, the Good Therapeutics team will join a new company named Bonum Therapeutics to focus on using its novel platform to design new therapeutics.

Good Therapeutics, founded in 2016, uses context-dependent therapeutics that are functional only when bound to a target molecule. The lead is PD-1-dependent IL-2 made of 1) a sensor component, anti-PD-1, that binds to PD-1⁺ T cells and 2) a therapeutic component, IL-2, that promotes growth and differentiation of activated T cells and natural killer cells. Only PD-1⁺ T cells get activated to stimulate an anti-tumor response, reducing systemic toxicity. The other program is PDL1-dependent IFN-α which is involved in the maturation of Antigen-presenting cells with a sensor component, anti-PDL-1 binding to PDL-1, and a therapeutic component, IFN-α. Overall, this approach allows cancer treatment with improved efficacy and reduced toxicity.

Roche is already in the checkpoint inhibitor space with its product, Tecentriq (Atezolizumab). It is a monoclonal antibody that binds to PDL-1 and blocks the interactions with PD-1 and B7.1 receptors, potentially activating the T-cells. The FDA approved Tecentriq based on the efficacy and safety trials to treat urothelial carcinoma (an advanced bladder cancer), non-small cell lung cancer, small cell lung cancer, and hepatocellular carcinoma (a type of liver cancer).

The PD-1 regulated IL-2 program is in the preclinical stage, and Roche will have full rights for developing and commercializing the product.