Endocyte

Endocyte is a biopharmaceutical company that focuses on developing targeted therapies for the treatment of cancer and other serious diseases. The company is known for its innovative approach to drug development, particularly in the area of small molecule drug conjugates (SMDCs) and companion imaging agents.

History

Endocyte was founded in 1996 and is headquartered in West Lafayette, Indiana. The company was established to commercialize research conducted at Purdue University by Dr. Philip Low, who is a co-founder of Endocyte. Over the years, Endocyte has developed a robust pipeline of therapeutic candidates aimed at addressing unmet medical needs in oncology.

Technology

Endocyte's core technology revolves around the development of SMDCs. These are designed to deliver potent drugs directly to cancer cells while minimizing exposure to healthy tissues. The SMDCs consist of three main components:

• A targeting ligand that binds to a specific receptor on the surface of cancer cells.
• A linker that connects the targeting ligand to the drug payload.
• A potent cytotoxic drug that is released inside the cancer cell to induce cell death.

Pipeline

Endocyte has several drug candidates in various stages of development. Some of the notable candidates include:

• EC1456: A folate receptor-targeted SMDC for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and other solid tumors.
• EC1169: A prostate-specific membrane antigen (PSMA)-targeted SMDC for the treatment of prostate cancer.
• EC0652: A folate receptor-targeted imaging agent for the detection of cancer cells.

Acquisition

In October 2018, Endocyte was acquired by Novartis for $2.1 billion. This acquisition allowed Novartis to expand its oncology portfolio and leverage Endocyte's expertise in targeted therapies.

Research and Development

Endocyte collaborates with various academic institutions and research organizations to advance its drug development programs. The company's research efforts are focused on identifying new targets and developing novel SMDCs to address a wide range of cancers.

See Also

• Biopharmaceutical
• Small molecule drug conjugate
• Cancer treatment
• Targeted therapy
• Prostate cancer
• Non-small cell lung cancer
• Novartis
• Purdue University