Orano Med and Orbit Discovery Enter Collaboration for New Novel Targeted Radioligand Therapies

Orano Med and Orbit Discovery announced on Sept. 11, 2023 that they have entered a collaboration to discover specific peptide receptor radionuclide therapies against cancer cells and advance the development of novel radiopharmaceuticals. According to the press release, the agreement states that Orbit will implement its bead-based peptide display engine to discover peptide leads specific to targets related to specific tumors.

“We’re delighted to continue expanding our existing portfolio of partners by collaborating with Orano Med who have a strong track record of discovering novel radiopharmaceuticals,” Neil Butt, chief executive officer, Orbit Discovery, said in a press release. “We’re very proud of our proprietary screening platform at Orbit and acknowledge its role in empowering the next wave of peptide therapeutics.”

Radioligand therapies rely on the concept of combining the ability of biological molecules, like peptides, to target cancer cells with the short-range cell-killing capabilities of radioisotopes. According to the release, the approach results in an increased cytotoxic potential toward cancer cells while still limiting toxicity to nearby healthy cells.

This collaboration will strengthen the capabilities of Orbit’s peptide display engine to identify peptide candidates specific to tumor-associated targets, and the technology enables the screening of large peptide collections through the combination of DNA encoded libraries and bead-based presentation, according to the press release.

“Since the inception of Orano Med, we have recognized the value of collaboration,” said Julien Dodet, chief executive officer, Orano Med, in a press release. “In our strategy to develop and deliver 212Pb Targeted Alpha Therapy for cancer patients, we’re delighted to work with Orbit Discovery and leverage its technology and expertise in peptide ligand discovery to build our pipeline of radiotherapies.”

Source: Orbit Discovery