NEWS & PRESS
GSK acquires exclusive rights from Syndivia for antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) in prostate cancer
• Metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC) remains a significant health burden for men with critical need for novel targeted treatments
• Agreement adds a new preclinical ADC with potential for enhanced anti-tumour activity and best-in-class profile
• ADC complements GSK’s diverse pipeline in prostate cancer anchored by GSK’227, a B7H3-targeted ADC
GSK plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) and Syndivia, a private biotechnology company focused on next-generation ADCs, today announced an agreement granting GSK exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialise a preclinical ADC for mCRPC.
Approximately 1.4 million men worldwide are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year and approximately 10-20% develop advanced disease, castration resistance with metastases, within five years.1 For patients whose cancer has advanced to mCRPC, targeted treatment options are limited, and standard of care options may be difficult to access in community practice settings, and can be poorly tolerated with modest efficacy outcomes. Survival rates for these patients are low, with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 30% and a median survival of approximately two years.2,3,4
The novel ADC, which utilises Syndivia’s next-generation GeminiMab conjugation technology, has shown enhanced anti-tumour activity and an encouraging safety profile, demonstrating best-in-class potential. In preclinical studies, the ADC was effective at shrinking tumours without causing a proportional increase in significant side effects, even at higher doses. This ADC could provide a targeted treatment directly to the tumour, currently a gap in available therapies, along with a more easily accessible treatment in the community practice setting for mCRPC.
GSK is developing an innovative pipeline that spans ADCs with distinct antigens and payloads, next-generation small molecules, and T-cell engagers. These diverse approaches, such as GSK’227 and this novel ADC, enable GSK to advance potential therapeutic options across various stages and types of prostate cancer.
Hesham Abdullah, Senior Vice President, Global Head Oncology, R&D, GSK said: “Prostate cancer represents a significant health burden and an emerging area of growth for GSK, where targeted therapies are urgently needed in metastatic castration-resistant settings. The addition of this ADC builds on GSK's growing portfolio and strengths in tumour-targeted technologies, including GSK’227, our B7-H3-targeting ADC.”
Sasha Koniev, Chief Executive Officer, Syndivia, said: “We are proud that GSK will advance this programme on a global scale. This agreement underscores the value of our GeminiMab ADC platform and the opportunity to bring a promising new therapy to patients with pressing unmet medical needs.”
Financial considerations
Under the terms of the agreement, Syndivia will receive an upfront payment as well as success-based development and commercial milestone payments up to a total of £268 million. They will also receive tiered royalties on future product sales worldwide. GSK will assume full responsibility for the development, manufacturing, and worldwide commercialisation of the ADC program.
About Syndivia
Syndivia is a biotechnology company focused on the design and development of innovative antibody-drug conjugates. Its proprietary technology enables the creation of next-generation ADCs with optimized therapeutic profiles, aiming to expand treatment options for patients with cancer.
GSK in oncology
Our ambition in oncology is to help increase overall quality of life, maximise survival and change the course of disease, expanding from our current focus on blood and women’s cancers into lung and gastrointestinal cancers, as well as other solid tumours. This includes accelerating priority programmes such as antibody-drug conjugates targeting B7-H3 and B7-H4, and IDRX-42, a highly selective KIT tyrosine kinase inhibitor.
About GSK
GSK is a global biopharma company with a purpose to unite science, technology, and talent to get ahead of disease together. Find out more at gsk.com.
Cautionary statement regarding forward-looking statements
GSK cautions investors that any forward-looking statements or projections made by GSK, including those made in this announcement, are subject to risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those projected. Such factors include, but are not limited to, those described in the “Risk Factors” section in GSK’s Annual Report on Form 20-F for 2024, and GSK’s Q2 Results for 2025.
References
Fatima, Hareer MBBSa; Rangwala, Hussain Sohail MBBSa; Riaz, Faiza MBBSa; Ali, Laiba MBBSa; Abbas, Syed R. MBBSb; Haque, Shajee UL MBBSa. Castration resistant prostate cancer: recent advances in novel therapeutic treatments. International Journal of Surgery: Global Health 7(1):e0400, January 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/GH9.0000000000000400
Huo X, Kohli M, Finkelstein J. Predicting Survival in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Patients: Development of a Prognostic Nomogram. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2025 Apr 8;323:164-168. doi: 10.3233/SHTI250070. PMID: 40200467.
Freedland, S.J., Davis, M., Epstein, A.J. et al. Real-world treatment patterns and overall survival among men with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) in the US Medicare population. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 27, 327–333 (2024). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41391-023-00725-8
Chowdhury S, Bjartell A, Lumen N, Maroto P, Paiss T, Gomez-Veiga F, Birtle A, Kramer G, Kalinka E, Spaëth D, Feyerabend S, Matveev V, Lefresne F, Lukac M, Wapenaar R, Costa L. Real-World Outcomes in First-Line Treatment of Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: The Prostate Cancer Registry. Target Oncol. 2020 Jun;15(3):301-315. doi: 10.1007/s11523-020-00720-2. PMID: 32500294; PMCID: PMC7283204.
This announcement reproduces a press release first published by GSK, available at the following link:
https://www.gsk.com/en-gb/media/press-releases/gsk-acquires-exclusive-rights-from-syndivia-for-antibody-drug-conjugate/
Syndivia to Present Preclinical Data at American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2025
STRASBOURG (France) – April 25, 2025 – Syndivia, a leading biotechnology company focused on the development of next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), today announced it will present preclinical data on its asset at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2025, taking place April 25–30, 2025 in Chicago, Illinois.
The presentation will a first-in-class DAR1 ADC, built using Syndivia’s proprietary GeminiMab linker platform. The data demonstrate an unprecedented therapeutic index, supporting the potential of the asset as a safer and more effective therapeutic agent.
Poster Number: 2249
Session Category: Experimental and Molecular Therapeutics
Session Title: Antireceptors and Other Biological Therapeutic Agents
Session Start: 4/27/2025 2PM
Session End: 4/27/2025 5PM
Syndivia and Prof. Jean-Marie Lehn's Group Reveal Novel Conjugation Strategy
STRASBOURG (France) – January 15, 2025 – Syndivia, in collaboration with the group of Prof. Jean-Marie Lehn at the University of Strasbourg, has published new findings on a novel site-selective conjugation strategy leveraging subtle structural differences within the IgG4 antibody subfamily.
Through 3D structural analysis, the study identifies a unique spatial arrangement of lysine residues near hinge-region disulfide bonds in IgG4 — a pattern not observed in IgG1. This structural peculiarity can be exploited to enhance the specificity of bioconjugation reactions, offering a refined approach for the development of homogeneous antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).
The strategy relies on a dynamically reversible reagent scaffold, capable of interacting transiently with lysine residues across the antibody. Covalent attachment occurs only when a proximal reduced disulfide bond is present, effectively using lysines as transient “carriers” to target defined sites. This selective mechanism significantly narrows the distribution of conjugation outcomes.
🔗 Read the full publication: https://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/jacs.4c15421
Syndivia Unveils New Clinical Asset Featuring Proprietary ADC Linker Technology
STRASBOURG (France) – April 22, 2024 – Syndivia is proud to announce the unveiling of a clinical asset showcasing its proprietary high-stability ADC linker technology (APN).
Developed in collaboration with Inatherys, this candidate marks a significant milestone in the field of oncology therapeutics. The new clinical asset, INA03, represents a potent transferrin-competitive antibody-drug conjugate with improved stability in plasma designed to target CD71, with the aim of revolutionizing acute leukemia treatment. This innovative ADC has been years in the making, with Syndivia and Inatherys jointly overcoming numerous challenges to bring this promising candidate into the clinic (ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03957915).
Renowned Nobel Laureate Jean-Marie Lehn Appointed Chairman of Syndivia's Scientific Advisory Board
STRASBOURG (France) – November 16, 2023 – Syndivia, a leading biotechnology company at the forefront of innovative DAR1 ADCs (antibody-drug conjugates with a drug-to-antibody ratio of 1), is excited to announce the appointment of Nobel Prize-winning chemist, Professor Jean-Marie Lehn, as the Chairman of the company's Scientific Advisory Board (SAB).
Professor Lehn, who was awarded the Nobel Prize in Chemistry in 1987 for his groundbreaking work on supramolecular chemistry, brings a wealth of expertise and experience to Syndivia. His leadership as Chairman of the SAB will play a pivotal role in guiding and advancing Syndivia's cutting-edge research and development initiatives in the field of ADCs.
Syndivia's CEO, Sasha Koniev, expressed excitement about the appointment, stating, "We are honored to welcome Professor Jean-Marie Lehn to Syndivia. His outstanding contributions to the field of supramolecular chemistry, coupled with his visionary approach to scientific innovation, align seamlessly with our commitment to pushing the boundaries of ADCs. We are confident that Professor Lehn's guidance will be instrumental in shaping the future of Syndivia."
As Chairman of the SAB, Professor Lehn will work closely with Syndivia's research and development teams, providing strategic insights and fostering collaboration with other scientific leaders. His role will contribute to advancing Syndivia's mission of developing breakthrough therapies for unmet medical needs.
Professor Jean-Marie Lehn commented on his new role, saying, "I am thrilled to join Syndivia and contribute to their pioneering efforts in drug discovery. The intersection of chemistry and biotechnology holds great promise, and I look forward to working with the talented team at Syndivia to drive innovation and make a lasting impact on healthcare."
About Syndivia: Syndivia is a biotechnology company dedicated to revolutionizing the field of ADC therapeutics through cutting-edge research and development. The company focuses on harnessing the distinctive properties of its proprietary ADC platform, which provides improved efficacy.
The Press release is available on PRNewswire