F-star Expedites Its Transition to a Wholly-Owned Portfolio Strategy
14.5.2019 08:00:00 EEST | Business Wire | Press release
F-star, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company delivering tetravalent bispecific antibodies for a paradigm-shift in cancer therapy, today announced the reconfiguration of its immuno-oncology collaboration, established in 2017, with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany as it executes on its transition to a wholly-owned portfolio and builds scale and value as a world-class biopharmaceutical company.
Under the terms of the new agreement, F-star retains exclusive rights to develop and commercialise FS118, a clinical-stage tetravalent bispecific antibody. At the same time, Merck has exercised its option for one discovery stage programme and retains the right to option a second discovery programme from the 2017 original agreement. No financial terms of the agreement are being disclosed.
Eliot Forster, CEO of F-star, said: “This new agreement reflects our pivot to building a wholly-owned pipeline, that allows for rapid progress into the clinic and secures greater long-term value from our products. With full rights to FS118, we have an opportunity to accelerate the development of this first-in-class medicine for a group of targeted cancer patients. We are also pleased to continue our long-term collaboration with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany by advancing assets from F-star’s Modular Antibody Technology TM into their pipeline.”
FS118 is a potential first-in-class tetravalent bispecific antibody for the treatment of cancer, developed to overcome tumour evasion mechanisms promoted by two molecules (LAG-3: Lymphocyte-Activation Gene 3 and PD-L1: Programmed Death-Ligand 1) with the potential to restore the natural ability of the immune system to fight cancer(1). Initiated in April 2018 under F-star’s sponsorship, the Phase I trial (NCT03440437) continues as originally planned and is expected to read out during 2020.
- ENDS -
About F-star
F-star is a leading clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company delivering tetravalent bispecific antibodies for a paradigm-shift in cancer therapy. By developing medicines that seek to block tumour immune evasion, the Company’s goal is to offer patients greater and more durable benefits than current immuno-oncology treatments. Through its proprietary tetravalent, bispecific antibody (mAb²™) format, F-star is generating first- and best-in-class drug candidates with monoclonal antibody-like manufacturability. Building on the combined expertise of its world-class management team and scientific leadership, F-star is poised to deliver the next breakthrough immunotherapies for cancer patients.
Find out more at www.f-star.com. Connect with us via LinkedIn and Twitter
About FS118
Currently in a Phase I trial at four clinical sites in the United States, FS118 is a potentially first-in-class medicine for the treatment of resistant and refractory cancer. This tetravalent, bispecific antibody is developed to overcome tumour evasion mechanisms promoted by two highly immuno-suppressive molecules: LAG-3 (Lymphocyte-Activation Gene 3) and PD-L1 (Programmed Death-Ligand 1). By simultaneously blocking both inhibitory pathways, FS118 has preclinically demonstrated a potent anti-tumour growth activity(1) as well as a highly differentiated mechanism of action(2) when compared to checkpoint monotherapies alone or in combinations.
In April 2018, a Phase 1 clinical study started in patients who have progressed on or after a prior PD-1/PD-L1 containing therapy. Information about the trial is available on clinicaltrials.gov NCT03440437. FS118 is manufactured at 2000L scale using standard mAb manufacturing processes.
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190513005894/en/
Contact information
For investor enquiries
Lindsey Trickett
VP
Investor Relations & Communications
+1 240 543 7970
lindsey.trickett@f-star.com
For media enquiries
Pierre Peotta
Communications
Manager
+44 (0)1223 948 094
+44 (0)7392 080 279
pierre.peotta@f-star.com
Consilium Strategic Communications
Chris Gardner, Sue
Stuart, David Daley
Tel: +44 (0)20 3709 5700
E-mail:
F-star@consilium-comms.com
US
Catherine London, US President
Tel: +1 917-763-2709
E-mail:
F-star@consilium-comms.com
About Business Wire
For more than 50 years, Business Wire has been the global leader in press release distribution and regulatory disclosure.
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Myers Industries Launches European Production of Scepter Military Packaging30.7.2026 19:04:00 EEST | Press release
Myers Industries, Inc. (NYSE: MYE), a leading manufacturer of Products that Protect™, today announced that its Scepter business has launched production of military ammunition containers in Europe through Scepter International Poland sp z o.o. Production began earlier this year at a privately owned contract manufacturing facility in Poland that was selected by Scepter following a rigorous evaluation process. Initial customer shipments commenced in April 2026. Scepter manufactures a growing portfolio of proprietary ammunition containers using advanced resin compounds. Already fielded by military customers across NATO and allied nations, the ammunition containers are now being produced in Europe to better serve regional demand. Scepter's lightweight, reusable polymer packaging replaces traditional wood and metal containers. The result is improved soldier handling; reduced transportation weight and logistics burden; greater fuel efficiency; lower lifecycle costs; and a durable, corrosion-r
ARIS Recognized as a Leader in First Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Digital Twin of an Organization Platforms, Believes This Reinforces Need for Trusted Governance and Control of Enterprise AI30.7.2026 19:00:00 EEST | Press release
ARIS, the process context platform enabling enterprise AI deployment, today announced its recognition as a Leader in the inaugural Gartner Magic Quadrant for Digital Twin of An Organization (DTO) Platforms – where it believes agentic AI, autonomous workflows, and enterprise governance converge. As enterprises move from AI experimentation to autonomous agent deployment, a critical challenge emerges: how do you safely scale autonomous AI when the enterprise lacks a unified digital twin – a single source of truth for processes, data, governance, and outcomes? Gartner describes the DTO as a dynamic software model that relies on operational and contextual data to understand how an organization operationalizes its business model, connects with its current state, responds to changes, deploys resources, simulates future states and delivers customer value. "Enterprises are rightfully ambitious about agentic AI and autonomous workflows," said Guillaume Bacuvier, CEO of ARIS. "But they're discove
Kingswood Capital Management Raises $4 Billion Across Two Oversubscribed Middle-Market Funds30.7.2026 18:00:00 EEST | Press release
Kingswood Capital Management, L.P. (together with its affiliates, “Kingswood”), a Los Angeles-based investment firm focused on the middle-market, today announced the final closing of Kingswood Capital Opportunities Fund IV, L.P. (together with its parallel fund, “Fund IV”), with total capital commitments of $3.1 billion, as well as Kingswood Capital Opportunities Small Cap Fund I, L.P. (together with its parallel fund, “Small Cap Fund I”), with total capital commitments of $900 million. These funds more than double Kingswood’s total assets under management (“AUM”) to over $7 billion. Fund IV represents the fourth institutional fundraise in five years for Kingswood and is more than double the size of Fund III. Both Fund IV and the inaugural Small Cap Fund I were significantly oversubscribed in just five weeks. Fund IV exceeded its initial target of $2.25 billion, while Small Cap Fund I exceeded its initial target of $550 million and both closed at their hard caps. The successful fundrai
CyrusOne Names John Hatem Chief Executive Officer to Accelerate its Global Digital Infrastructure Strategy30.7.2026 16:30:00 EEST | Press release
CyrusOne (the “Company”), a leading global data center owner, developer and operator, today announced the appointment of John Hatem as Chief Executive Officer and a member of the Company’s Board, effective immediately. As part of the Company’s long-term succession planning, Eric Schwartz, who successfully led CyrusOne through a period of significant expansion, is stepping down as CEO and will work together with Hatem to ensure a smooth transition. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260730005910/en/ John Hatem Hatem joined CyrusOne in 2011 and has held a series of increasingly senior roles across the business. He most recently served as President, responsible for global sales, global procurement, and design, engineering, and construction in the United States. His deep experience in data center design, development, and operations has helped transform CyrusOne into one of the world’s leading digital infrastructure p
Mary Kay Releases 2026 Sustainability Report Highlighting Transformative Progress Across Social, Economic, and Environmental Impact Globally30.7.2026 15:03:00 EEST | Press release
Mary Kay Inc., a leading global beauty company committed to sustainability and women’s empowerment, today released its 2026 Sustainability Report, outlining progress toward its 2030 goals and celebrating the 2025 and latest achievements that continue to drive positive change globally. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260730240667/en/ Mary Kay's annual 2026 Sustainability Report highlights the company's decades-long dedication to social, economic, and environmental sustainability - core pillars central to its business strategy and its purpose-driven legacy rooted in Mary Kay's mission of “enriching women’s lives” around the world. (Image Credit: Mary Kay Inc.) The annual report highlights Mary Kay’s decades-long dedication to social, economic, and environmental sustainability - core pillars central to its business strategy and its purpose-driven legacy rooted in the company’s mission of “enriching women’s lives”
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom