Lund, Sweden, October 5, 2018 – Alligator Bioscience AB (Nasdaq Stockholm: ATORX), a biotechnology company developing antibody-based pharmaceuticals for tumor-directed immunotherapy, today announced that they will receive a 500 000 SEK grant from Sweden's government agency for innovation, Vinnova, for the project “Verification of the unique functionality of ATOR-1017 by 3D structure determination”.
The project category was “Industrial pilot projects for neutron- and photon-based experiments at large-scale research infrastructures". The grant will be used to obtain, in collaboration with the contract protein crystallography company SARomics Biostructures AB, three-dimensional structural data on Alligator’s 4-1BB antibody ATOR-1017, to further confirm its unique profile. The studies will be performed at the BioMAX beamline of the MAX IV Laboratory in Lund, Sweden.
ATOR-1017 is an immunostimulatory antibody in development for the treatment of metastatic cancer. It binds to the receptor 4-1BB on tumor-specific T cells and NK cells. ATOR-1017 is differentiated from other 4-1BB antibodies, partly because of its unique binding profile, but also because its immunostimulatory function is dependent on cross-linking to Fc-gamma receptors on immune cells. The aim is to achieve effective tumor-targeted immune stimulation with minimum side effects. ATOR-1017 is planned to enter clinical studies in cancer patients 2019.
For further information, please contact:
Cecilia Hofvander, Director Investor Relations & Communications
Phone +46 46 286 44 95
E-mail: cecilia.hofvander@alligatorbioscience.com
The information was submitted for publication, through the agency of the contact person set out above, at 11:00 a.m. CEST on October 5, 2018.
About ATOR-1017
ATOR-1017 is an immunostimulatory antibody (IgG4) that binds to the costimulatory receptor 4-1BB (also known as CD137) expressed on tumor-specific T cells and NK cells.
4-1BB has the capacity to support the immune cells involved in tumor control, making 4-1BB a particularly attractive target for cancer immunotherapy.
About MAX IV and ESS
The research facility MAX IV in Lund is presently Sweden’s largest research infrastructure and one of the world’s brightest sources for synchrotron radiation. In close proximity, the European Spallation Source (ESS) is being built to become the world's most brilliant neutron source. This will give unique development opportunities within a wide range of research areas, such as life sciences and materials science, as well as all the important industrial and societal applications that rely on the characteristics and performance of different materials.
About SARomics Biostructures
SARomics Biostructures is one of the small, rapidly-growing biotech companies in Lund, Sweden. SARomics has attracted significant funding for its research programs and is currently involved in several international research initiatives aiming to discover leads for new medicines. In parallel the company has built a global reputation for its structural biology platform in particular for antibody/antigen complexes and biosimilars, as well as its structure-based drug design skills. SARomics Biostructures is currently supporting a large number of clients in Asia, Europe and North America to pursue their drug discovery objectives.
About Alligator Bioscience
Alligator Bioscience AB is a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing tumor-directed immuno-oncology antibody drugs. Alligator’s growing pipeline includes four lead clinical and pre-clinical drug candidates (ADC-1013, ATOR-1015, ATOR-1017 and ALG.APV-527). ADC-1013 (JNJ-7107) is licensed to Janssen Biotech, Inc., part of J&J, for global development and commercialization. Alligator’s shares are listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (ATORX). The Company is headquartered in Lund, Sweden, and has approximately 50 employees. For more information, please visit www.alligatorbioscience.com.