ImmunoGen explained

ImmunoGen Inc.
Type:	Subsidiary
Traded As:	NASDAQ:
Industry:	Biopharmaceuticals
Foundation:	1981
Defunct:	2024
Fate:	Acquired by AbbVie
Location City:	Waltham, Massachusetts
Location Country:	United States
Num Employees:	75
Revenue:	$65.2 million (2019)^[1]

ImmunoGen, Inc. was a biotechnology company focused on the development of antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. ImmunoGen was founded in 1981 and was headquartered in Waltham, Massachusetts.^[2]

An ImmunoGen ADC contains a manufactured antibody that binds to a target found on cancer cells, with one of the company's potent cell-killing agents attached as a "payload". The antibody serves to deliver the cell-killing agent specifically to cancer cells bearing its target and the payload serves to kill these cells. In some cases, the antibody also has anticancer activity.

In November 2023, AbbVie, an American pharmaceutical company, announced it was buying ImmunoGen for $10.1 billion.^{[3] [4]}

Linkage technology

Currently approved ADCs with ImmunoGen technology employ one of the company's maytansinoid cell-killing agents, either DM1 or DM4, or one of the company's DNA-acting IGN payloads.

• DM1 attached to an antibody with ImmunoGen's thioether linker is called "emtansine" in its INN name
  • trastuzumab emtansine, marketed as Kadcyla
• DM1 attached to an antibody with ImmunoGen's SPP linker is called "mertansine".
• DM4 attached with ImmunoGen's SPDB linker is called "ravtansine"
  • indatuximab ravtansine (BT062) targeting multiple myeloma,
  • anetumab ravtansine (BAY94-9343) targeting mesothelin (to treat mesothelioma), starting phase II trial in 2016^[5]
  • coltuximab ravtansine (SAR3419) targeting CD19 to treat acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).^[6]
• DM4 attached with ImmunoGen's sSPDB linker is called "soravtansine"
  • mirvetuximab soravtansine

ImmunoGen also developed isatuximab, a monoclonal antibody without linkage to a toxin.

Pipeline

ImmunoGen uses its ADC technology to develop its own product candidates. The mirvetuximab, which has been submitted for FDA approval, is being developed as a monotherapy or a standalone treatment for ovarian cancer.^{[7] [8]} Other products currently in clinical-stage development include:^[9]

• IMGN853, (mirvetuximab soravtansine) targeting FRα, and using DM4.^[10]
• IMGN529, targeting CD37 for Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL).^[11]
• IMGN289, targeting EGFR^[12]
• IMGN779, a CD33-Targeted Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) with a new DNA-Alkylating agent acts on AML Cells.^[11]
• IMGN632, anti-CD123
• SAR408701 in collaboration with Sanofi
• SAR428926 in collaboration with Sanofi
• SAR566658 in collaboration with Sanofi
• SAR650984 in collaboration with Sanofi
• LY3076226 in collaboration with Eli Lilly
• PCA062 in collaboration with Novartis
• an undisclosed antibody in collaboration with Amgen

Collaborations & licensing

The company also selectively out licenses limited use of its technology to other companies. Companies licensing ImmunoGen's technology include Amgen, Bayer HealthCare, Biotest, Genentech/Roche, Eli Lilly, Novartis, Sanofi, and Takeda.^[9] Roche's Kadcyla (ado-trastuzumab emtansine) utilizes ImmunoGen's ADC technology. It has been approved and launched in a number of countries, including the US, where it is marketed by Genentech, a member of the Roche Group.^{[13] [14]} In October 2015, the company disclosed that Kadcyla had failed to meet its primary endpoint in the Phase II/III GATSBY trial investigating the second line treatment of HER2-positive advanced gastric cancer.^[15]

Notes and References

1. Web site: ImmunoGen Reports Recent Progress and 2019 Financial Results | ImmunoGen, Inc.
2. Web site: ImmunoGen Inc., Inc. stock price Yahoo Finance. Finance.yahoo.com. 2014-03-09.
3. News: Leo . Leroy . Mishra . Manas . 2023-11-30 . AbbVie seeks lift from 'guided missile' cancer drug with $10 bln ImmunoGen deal . en . Reuters . 2023-12-01.
4. News: Kellaher . Jared S. Hopkins and Colin . AbbVie to Buy Cancer Biotech ImmunoGen for More Than $10 Billion . 2023-12-01 . WSJ . en-US.
5. MorphoSys Announces Clinical Milestone for Start of Bayer's Phase 2 Trial Designed to Support Registration of Anetumab Ravtansine. MorphoSys. AG. 26 January 2016. GlobeNewswire News Room.
6. A Phase II Study of Coltuximab Ravtansine (SAR3419) Monotherapy in Patients With Relapsed or Refractory Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia. Hervé. Dombret. Laurence. Hatteville. Corina. Oprea. Pierre. Bories. Susan. O'Brien. Elias. Jabbour. Jorge. Cortes. Xavier G.. Thomas. Martine. Escoffre-Barbe. Jean-Pierre. Marolleau. Kevin. Kelly. Thibaut. Leguay. Ehab. Atallah. Stella K.. Kim. Bruno. Lioure. Hagop M.. Kantarjian. 1 March 2016. Clinical Lymphoma, Myeloma & Leukemia. 16. 3. 139–145. www.clinical-lymphoma-myeloma-leukemia.com. 10.1016/j.clml.2015.12.004. 26775883. 5557033.
7. Web site: ImmunoGen: An Inflection Point In Growth (NASDAQ:IMGN) Seeking Alpha . 2022-05-23 . seekingalpha.com . en.
8. Web site: May 23, 2022 . For Mirvetuximab Soravtansine In Ovarian Cancer . May 24, 2022 . Nasdaq.
9. Web site: Target a Better Now - ImmunoGen for ADC Technology-focused Cancer Treatment. ImmunoGen.
10. Web site: Meeting Library - Meeting Library. meetinglibrary.asco.org.
11. Web site: ImmunoGen, Inc. Announces Data Presentations at Upcoming 57th ASH Annual Meeting and Exposition. 1 December 2015. www.businesswire.com.
12. A Phase 1 Study of IMGN289 in Adult Patients With EGFR-positive Solid Tumors - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov. clinicaltrials.gov. 30 September 2015.
13. Web site: Genentech. www.gene.com.
14. Web site: KADCYLA® for certain types of HER2+ Breast Cancer. www.kadcyla.com.
15. Web site: Roche's Kadcyla Fails Phase II/III Trial for Gastric Cancer | GEN News Highlights | GEN . 2015-10-24 . https://web.archive.org/web/20151024211818/http://www.genengnews.com/gen-news-highlights/roche-s-kadcyla-fails-phase-ii-iii-trial-for-gastric-cancer/81251888 . 2015-10-24 . dead .