Sign in Subscribe
Biopharmaceuticals

GlaxoSmithKline and Syndivia Announce Collaboration on Next-Generation Antibody-Drug Conjugate for Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer

Strategic Insights

— 2 min read

GlaxoSmithKline and biotechnology company Syndivia have announced an agreement granting GSK exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialise a preclinical antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) for metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC). The ADC, utilising Syndivia's next-generation GeminiMab conjugation technology, has shown enhanced anti-tumour activity and an encouraging safety profile, demonstrating best-in-class potential. In preclinical studies, the ADC was effective at shrinking tumours without causing a proportional increase in significant side effects, even at higher doses. This ADC could provide a targeted treatment directly to the tumour, currently a gap in available therapies, along with a more easily accessible treatment in the community practice setting for mCRPC.

Key Takeaways:

  • The ADC has demonstrated best-in-class potential, shrinking tumours without causing a proportional increase in significant side effects, even at higher doses.
  • The ADC utilises Syndivia's next-generation GeminiMab conjugation technology, which has shown enhanced anti-tumour activity and an encouraging safety profile.
  • GSK will assume full responsibility for the development, manufacturing, and worldwide commercialisation of the ADC program, which includes an upfront payment, success-based development and commercial milestone payments up to £268 million, and tiered royalties on future product sales worldwide.
  • Approximately 1.4 million men worldwide are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year, and approximately 10-20% develop advanced disease, castration resistance with metastases, within five years.
  • Survival rates for patients with mCRPC are low, with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 30% and a median survival of approximately two years.
  • GSK's oncology ambition is to help increase overall quality of life, maximise survival, and change the course of disease, expanding from their current focus on blood and women's cancers into lung and gastrointestinal cancers, as well as other solid tumours.
  • GSK is developing an innovative pipeline that spans ADCs with distinct antigens and payloads, next-generation small molecules, and T-cell engagers, including GSK'227, a B7-H3-targeting ADC.

Statistics:

  • Approximately 1.4 million men worldwide are diagnosed with prostate cancer each year.
  • Approximately 10-20% of men with prostate cancer develop advanced disease, castration resistance with metastases, within five years.
  • Survival rates for patients with mCRPC are low, with a 5-year survival rate of approximately 30% and a median survival of approximately two years.
  • GSK will receive an upfront payment, success-based development and commercial milestone payments up to £268 million, and tiered royalties on future product sales worldwide.

Sources:

  • GlaxoSmithKline
  • Syndivia
  • Fatima, Hareer MBBSa; Rangwala, Hussain Sohail MBBSa; Riaz, Faiza MBBSa; Ali, Laiba MBBSa; Abbas, Syed R. MBBSb; Haque, Shajee UL MBBSa. Castration resistant prostate cancer: recent advances in novel therapeutic treatments. International Journal of Surgery: Global Health 7(1):e0400, January 2024. | DOI: 10.1097/GH9.0000000000000400
  • Huo X, Kohli M, Finkelstein J. Predicting Survival in Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer Patients: Development of a Prognostic Nomogram. Stud Health Technol Inform. 2025 Apr 8;323:164-168. doi: 10.3233/SHTI250070. PMID: 40200467.
  • Freedland, S.J., Davis, M., Epstein, A.J. et al. Real-world treatment patterns and overall survival among men with Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer (mCRPC) in the US Medicare population. Prostate Cancer Prostatic Dis 27, 327--333 (2024). https://doi-org.sdpl.idm.oclc.org/10.1038/s41391-023-00725-8
  • Chowdhury S, Bjartell A, Lumen N, Maroto P, Paiss T, Gomez-Veiga F, Birtle A, Kramer G, Kalinka E, SpaȽth D, Feyerabend S, Matveev V, Lefresne F, Lukac M, Wapenaar R, Costa L. Real-World Outcomes in First-Line Treatment of Metastatic Castration-Resistant Prostate Cancer: The Prostate Cancer Registry. Target Oncol. 2020 Jun;15(3):301-315. doi: 10.1007/s11523-020-00720-2. PMID: 32500294; PMCID: PMC7283204.

Read more