ORIC Pharmaceuticals Partners with Cancer Research UK to Develop First-in-Class CIP2A-Targeted Therapy
Event summary
- ORIC Pharmaceuticals has partnered with Cancer Research UK to advance ORIC-259, a potential first-in-class CIP2A-targeted therapy, into clinical development.
- Cancer Research UK will fully fund, sponsor, design, and execute CTA-enabling studies and Phase 1/2 clinical development for ORIC-259.
- ORIC retains an option to reacquire rights to ORIC-259 following Phase 1/2 data, with Cancer Research UK eligible for downstream milestone payments and royalties.
- ORIC-259 is a small molecule mRNA degrader targeting CIP2A, a previously undruggable protein involved in cancer progression.
The big picture
This partnership underscores the strategic importance of targeting previously undruggable proteins in oncology. Cancer Research UK's extensive experience in developing novel cancer therapies adds significant credibility to the program. The deal structure allows ORIC to maintain focus on its late-stage clinical pipeline while leveraging external expertise and funding for early-stage development.
What we're watching
- Clinical Progress
- How the Phase 1/2 data for ORIC-259 will influence ORIC's decision to reacquire the rights to the therapy.
- Funding Dynamics
- Whether Cancer Research UK's full funding and sponsorship will accelerate the development timeline for ORIC-259.
- Market Potential
- The pace at which ORIC-259 could become a viable treatment option for patients with homologous recombination deficiency (HRD) cancers.
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