Reflection Effect?
US-based Athenex, which introduced Orascovery (HM 30181A), Hanmi's basic technology for oral anticancer drugs, was successfully listed on NASDAQ on June 14.
"Its listing on NASDAQ will bring Athenex new investments and accelerate joint development of anticancer drugs between Athenex and Hanmi," a Hanmi Pharmaceutical official said. “Although the two companies decided not to disclose additional milestones, we expect a large amount of loyalties after the successful development and commercialization of products."
The two companies are currently developing four anticancer drugs using Orascovery platform technology. Among them, Oraxol (HM30181A + paclitaxel and breast cancer), which has been showing the fastest development progress, is currently undergoing the third phase of clinical trials in eight countries in South America. Of the remaining three anticancer drugs, Oratecan and Oradoxel are in the first phase and Oratopo received a permit for the first phase.
Orascovery is a base technology to convert injectable anticancer drugs into oral ones. Hanmi Pharmaceutical succeeded in developing HM-30181A, a substance that blocks P-glycoprotein (P-glycoprotein), which interferes with the oral absorption of anticancer drugs after seven years of research in the early 2000s and named it Orascovery. In 2011, Atenex signed a licensing agreement on Orascovery with Athenex.