Aduro Biotech Announces Strategic Restructuring, Cuts Workforce by 37% to Focus on STING and APRIL Pathway Oncology Programs

VCBeat (WeChat Official Account: vcbeat) has learned that on January 30, U.S. local time, biopharmaceutical company Aduro Biotech (“Aduro”) announced a strategic shift to focus on its core strengths by discovering and developing new product candidates targeting the stimulator of interferon genes (STING) and a proliferation-inducing ligand (APRIL) pathways.

Aduro, founded in 2000 and headquartered in Berkeley, California, is an immunotherapy company dedicated to discovering and developing therapies for challenging diseases. Aduro’s technology is designed to harness the body’s natural immune system, with research focused on oncology indications and autoimmune diseases, and potentially extending to infectious diseases.

Aduro’s STING pathway activation technology activates the STING receptor in immune cells, thereby generating potent tumor-specific immune responses. Aduro collaborates with Novartis to develop stimulator of interferon genes (STING) pathway activators for oncology, including ADU-S100 (MIW815), the first STING agonist to enter clinical trials. ADU-S100 is currently being evaluated in Phase I clinical trials as a monotherapy and in combination with ipilimumab, as well as in a Phase Ib combination trial with spartalizumab (PDR001), an anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody. Additionally, Aduro partners with Eli Lilly and Company to develop cGAS-STING pathway inhibitors for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases.

Aduro’s B-select monoclonal antibody technology, which includes BION-1301 (a first-in-class anti-APRIL antibody), comprises a portfolio of immunomodulatory assets in research and development. Aduro Biotech is collaborating with leading global pharmaceutical companies to expand its product and technology offerings.

It is worth noting that not all of Aduro’s collaborations have been successful. Reportedly, in October 2018, Aduro disclosed that Janssen Biotech, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, had terminated its four-year partnership with Aduro and returned the rights to lung cancer and prostate cancer drugs under development.

As a result of strategic adjustments, Aduro has reduced its existing workforce by approximately 37% and reallocated resources to these leading projects.

“For many years, we have achieved remarkable success in the discovery of small molecules and biologics. Given our company’s evolving portfolio and strong cash position, the executive team and the Board of Directors unanimously agree that now is the optimal time to proactively reduce operating costs and focus our investments more strategically on the STING and APRIL development programs,” stated Stephen T. Isaacs, Chairman, President, and Chief Executive Officer of Aduro. “We are committed to maintaining a leading position in the STING and APRIL pipelines and will generate multiple clinical data readouts in the coming years. This strategic realignment will also enable us to explore new partnership opportunities for our remaining programs, including pLADD, ADU-1604 (anti-CTLA-4), and ADU-1805 (anti-SIRPα). Although this was a difficult decision, I remain grateful for the contributions made by the departing employees to Aduro.”

The anticipated continued reduction in operating expenses is expected to extend the runway of the company’s cash, cash equivalents, and marketable securities into 2022, excluding future potential milestone payments from collaborations with companies such as Novartis, Eli Lilly, and Merck.

(Compiled by Yang Fudong)