Molecular Templates (MTEM)
Molecular Templates is a mid-clinical stage oncology-focused biotech company that leverages its preparatory Engineered Toxin Bodies (ETB) platform as a pipeline engine to develop novel ADC for cancer treatment. Major potential advantages of the ETB platform are the novel mode of cell killing mechanism and its capability of forced internalization of targeted receptor resulting in novel MOA of eradicating drug resistant cancer cells by circumventing the ADCC and CDC mechanisms. Two lead products in development are CD20 targeted MT-3724, which is heading into Phase II trial development in relapsed and refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (r/r DLBCL); and CD38-targeted TAK-169, which is heading into a Phase I study in multiple myeloma (MM). TAK-169 development is partnered with Takeda Pharmaceutical Co., a major player in MM treatment market. More advanced generation of ETBs are in late preclinical development with the potential as a novel immune-oncology (IO) platform that could possibly could activate more “normal” T cells with full TCR synapse engagement against targeted cancer cells for cell destruction.