Lilly and Foghorn Therapeutics Announce $1.6 Billion Strategic Collaboration to Develop Innovative Cancer Therapies Targeting Gene Expression Regulation

On December 13, 2021, Loxo Oncology, a subsidiary of Eli Lilly and Company, and Foghorn Therapeutics announced a strategic research collaboration agreement. The two companies will leverage Foghorn's "Gene Traffic Control" technology platform targeting the chromatin regulatory system to develop novel oncology drugs. The collaboration includes co-development and promotion of Foghorn’s selective BRM protein inhibitor oncology program and another undisclosed oncology target. The partnership also encompasses three additional discovery programs based on the Gene Traffic Control platform.

Just as air traffic control systems need to provide detailed command for every aircraft to ensure the safe operation of flights, human cells need to regulate the timing, location, and sequence of gene expression. All of these are managed by the chromatin regulatory system, and if there is a "command" failure, it may lead to disease. It has been discovered that more than 25% of cancers are associated with genetic mutations occurring in the chromatin remodeling machinery.

In addition, the latest Cancer Genome Atlas research also reveals that in about one-third of cancers, transcription factors, another key component of the chromatin regulatory system, have undergone genetic mutations or overexpression. Many neurological diseases, autoimmune diseases, and other serious illnesses are also closely related to the dysregulation of the chromatin regulatory system.

Foghorn Therapeutics' Gene Traffic Control Platform Supports High-Throughput Drug Discovery and Development in Five Ways: Identification and Validation of Drug Targets; Large-Scale Production and Analysis of Chromatin Regulatory System Components; Iterative Optimization After Target Identification; Redirecting Targets to the Cell’s Protein Degradation System; and Translational Biomarker and Clinical Identification to Determine the Patient Populations Most Likely to Benefit. Using this platform, Foghorn Therapeutics is developing a pipeline of drugs targeting genes involved in the chromatin regulatory system, including some targets that currently have no corresponding therapies.

▲Foghorn’s R&D Pipeline (Source: Foghorn Therapeutics’ Official Website)

Foghorn currently has over 10 ongoing research projects aimed at treating cancers and other diseases caused by dysregulation of the chromatin regulatory system. For instance, more than 30 different types of cancer exhibit mutations in the brahma-related gene-1 (BRG1), accounting for approximately 5% of all tumors and 10% of non-small cell lung cancers. The company is developing highly selective BRM inhibitors targeting BRG1-mutant cancers through two strategies: protein degradation and enzyme activity inhibition.

Under the terms of the agreement, Foghorn will receive an upfront payment of $300 million and Eli Lilly’s $80 million equity investment in Foghorn. For the BRM-selective inhibitor and an additional undisclosed target research program, Foghorn will lead drug discovery and early-stage research activities, while Eli Lilly will be responsible for development and commercialization activities. Additionally, Foghorn is eligible to receive potential development and milestone payments totaling up to $1.3 billion, as well as tiered royalties on net sales of products.

References:

[1] Lilly and Foghorn Announce Strategic Collaboration for Novel Oncology Targets Using Foghorn's Proprietary Gene Traffic Control® Platform. Retrieved December 13, 2021, from https://investor.lilly.com/news-releases/news-release-details/lilly-and-foghorn-announce-strategic-collaboration-novel

(Original text has been abridged)

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