• New preclinical RDT data show that DARPins can be engineered to increase tumor uptake as well as reducing accumulation in kidneys
• Engineering solutions transferrable across the platform and to a broad range of tumor targets
• RDT platform offers unique approach for tailored delivery of radioactive payloads to solid tumors and for expansion of targets amenable to radiotherapy

ZURICH-SCHLIEREN, Switzerland and CONCORD, Mass., Sept. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Molecular Partners AG (SIX: MOLN; NASDAQ: MOLN), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing a new class of custom-built protein drugs known as DARPin therapeutics ("Molecular Partners" or the "Company"), today announces new data from its Radio-DARPin Therapy (RDT) platform pertaining to potential efficacy of the approach and building on prior engineering achievements that boosted its renal safety profile. These data will be presented at the European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) Annual Meeting, held September 9–13 in Vienna, Austria and can be accessed here.

The data show the ability of Molecular Partners to substantially increase tumor uptake of RDT candidates through an adjustment of systemic half-life, achieved by binding to the common blood protein serum albumin. These results build on preclinical data, previously reported at AACR and SNNMI in 2023, demonstrating how DARPin engineering can achieve a marked reduction of candidate reabsorption by the kidney, addressing a key challenge for protein-based radionuclide delivery vectors.

“We have previously discussed what is required for the successful expansion of DARPins as a targeting moiety for radiotherapy, including protection of kidneys, tumor accumulation, and the ability to apply these learnings broadly across the platform. With today’s data we show that tuning of half-life can substantially impact the tumor uptake of our Radio DARPins,” said Patrick Amstutz, Ph.D., CEO of Molecular Partners. “Importantly, we are highly encouraged by the data showing that these techniques can be applied across the platform and utilized as we explore multiple targets in the field, including novel targets potentially less amenable to other approaches.”

In summary, the presented results highlight that a desirable tumor to kidney ratio can be achieved for RDTs while also keeping circulating blood levels low to further support a robust efficacy-to-safety profile. The engineering solutions applied to optimize the properties of the RDT platform are transferrable to different tumor-associated antigens. These results present a unique opportunity to explore new targets of interest and thereby potentially further expand the target space for radioligand therapy.

Molecular Partners continues to progress its RDT platform and portfolio of projects, both in-house and in partnership with Novartis. The tumor-associated protein Delta-like ligand 3 (DLL3) has been selected as one of the first targets of Molecular Partners’ proprietary RDT program.

The presentation details are as follows:

Title: DARPin platform for the development of powerful targeting agents for radioligand therapy 
Session Title: M2M Track - TROP Session: New Therapeutic Radiopharmaceuticals
Session Number: 1804
Abstract Number: OP-897 
Session Location & Timing: Hall E2; Sept 13, 2023; 9:45–11:15 am local time (CEST)
Order in Session: 3
Presentation Time: 10:05–10:15 am local time (CEST)

Authors & Affiliations:   

C. Lizak¹, A. Bosshart¹, S. Wullschleger¹, M. Behe², A. Blanc², S. Imobersteg², A. Constantinescu¹, J. Blunschi¹, L. Abduli¹, S. Schütz¹, J. Wolter¹, Z. Ziauddin Siddiqui¹, M. Matzner¹, A. Auge¹, N. Fic¹, W. Ali Abobaker Hassan¹, T. Chiorazzo², C. Reichen¹, A. Croset¹, A. Villa¹, P. Legenne¹, A. Goubier¹, R. Schibli², D. Steiner¹; ¹Molecular Partners AG, Schlieren-Zurich, Switzerland; ²Paul Scherrer Institute, Villingen, Switzerland 

About DARPin Therapeutics

DARPin therapeutics are a new class of custom-built protein therapeutics based on natural binding proteins that open a new dimension of multi-functionality and multi-target specificity in drug design. A single DARPin candidate can engage more than five targets, and its flexible architecture and small size offer benefits over other currently available protein therapeutics. DARPin therapeutics have been clinically validated through to registration via the development of abicipar, Molecular Partners’ most advanced DARPin drug candidate. The DARPin platform is a fast and cost-effective drug discovery engine, producing drug candidates with optimized properties for development and very high production yields.

About Molecular Partners AG 

Molecular Partners AG is a clinical-stage biotech company developing DARPin (designed ankyrin repeat protein) therapeutics, a new class of custom-built protein drugs designed to address challenges current modalities cannot. The Company has formed partnerships with leading pharmaceutical companies to advance DARPin therapeutics in the areas of oncology and virology and has compounds in various stages of clinical and preclinical development across multiple therapeutic areas. www.molecularpartners.com; Find us on Twitter - @MolecularPrtnrs

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements

Any statements contained in this press release that do not describe historical facts may constitute forward-looking statements as that term is defined in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, as amended, including, without limitation, implied and express statements regarding the clinical development of Molecular Partners’ current or future product candidates, expectations regarding timing for reporting data from ongoing clinical trials or the initiation of future clinical trials, the potential therapeutic and clinical benefits of Molecular Partners’ product candidates, the selection and development of future antiviral or other programs, and Molecular Partners’ expected business and financial outlook, including expenses and cash utilization for 2023 and its expectation of its current cash runway. These statements may be identified by words such as “believe”, “expect”, “may”, “plan”, “potential”, “will”, “would” and similar expressions, and are based on Molecular Partners’ current beliefs and expectations. These statements involve risks and uncertainties that could cause actual results to differ materially from those reflected in such statements. Some of the key factors that could cause actual results to differ from Molecular Partners’ expectations include its plans to develop and potentially commercialize its product candidates; Molecular Partners’ reliance on third party partners and collaborators over which it may not always have full control; Molecular Partners’ ongoing and planned clinical trials and preclinical studies for its product candidates, including the timing of such trials and studies; the risk that the results of preclinical studies and clinical trials may not be predictive of future results in connection with future clinical trials; the timing of and Molecular Partners’ ability to obtain and maintain regulatory approvals for its product candidates; the extent of clinical trials potentially required for Molecular Partners’ product candidates; the clinical utility and ability to achieve market acceptance of Molecular Partners’ product candidates; the impact of any health pandemic, macroeconomic factors and other global events on Molecular Partners’ preclinical studies, clinical trials or operations, or the operations of third parties on which it relies; Molecular Partners’ plans and development of any new indications for its product candidates; Molecular Partners’ commercialization, marketing and manufacturing capabilities and strategy; Molecular Partners’ intellectual property position; Molecular Partners’ ability to identify and in-license additional product candidates; and other risks and uncertainties that are described in the Risk Factors section of Molecular Partners’ Annual Report on Form 20-F for the fiscal year ended December 31, 2022, filed with Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) on March 9, 2023 and other filings Molecular Partners makes with the SEC. These documents are available on the Investors page of Molecular Partners’ website at www.molecularpartners.com. Any forward-looking statements speak only as of the date of this press release and are based on information available to Molecular Partners as of the date of this release, and Molecular Partners assumes no obligation to, and does not intend to, update any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

For further details, please contact:
Seth Lewis, SVP Investor Relations & Strategy
Concord, Massachusetts, U.S.
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Tel: +1 781 420 2361

Antonio Ligi, Head of Communications
Zurich-Schlieren, Switzerland
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Tel: +41 44 755 57 53