Astellas Expands Oncology Pipeline Through Partnership with Vir Biotechnology

Astellas Pharma Inc. and Vir Biotechnology, Inc. announced they have entered into a global strategic collaboration to advance VIR-5500, an investigational PRO-XTEN^® dual-masked CD3 T-cell engager (TCE) targeting PSMA for the treatment of prostate cancer. The collaboration aims to accelerate the development of VIR-5500 and further strengthen Astellas' oncology pipeline and prostate cancer leadership.

Adam Pearson, Chief Strategy Officer, Astellas
"Astellas is proud to have helped 1.5 million patients with prostate cancer, and we are dedicated to expanding our impact as part of our R&D strategy. Our deep expertise in this disease area, combined with a growing immuno-oncology (IO) pipeline of biologics, including T-cell engagers, uniquely positions us to help advance VIR-5500, a potentially best-in-class T-cell engager for prostate cancer. This strategic collaboration allows Astellas and Vir Biotechnology to combine our expertise and reaffirms our commitment to improving the lives of people with prostate cancer."

Marianne De Backer, M.Sc., Ph.D., MBA, Chief Executive Officer, Vir Biotechnology
"Astellas is an ideal collaborator for the VIR-5500 program given the company's successful track record advancing therapies across the treatment continuum, building blockbuster franchises and delivering value to patients through strategic development alliances with other biotech partners. This collaboration will enable more rapid advancement of VIR-5500 to potentially benefit more people living with prostate cancer. We believe this collaboration reflects confidence in our PRO-XTEN^® platform, which has broad potential across multiple solid tumor indications."

Despite recent advances in treatment, prostate cancer, especially metastatic castration-resistant prostate cancer (mCRPC), remains an aggressive and difficult cancer to treat; mCRPC has a 5-year survival rate of approximately 30%.ⁱ Patients who progress to mCRPC develop therapeutic resistance and currently have limited treatment options.