EQRx Announces Partnership Agreement with Abdul Latif Jameel Health to Commercialize Lead Oncology Programs in Middle East, Turkey and Africa
Through the agreement, Abdul Latif Jameel Health will become EQRxs regulatory and commercial partner for aumolertinib and sugemalimab, if approved, in selected markets throughout the Middle East region, as well as in Turkey and all of Africa.
EQRx, a new type of pharmaceutical company committed to developing and delivering important new medicines to patients at radically lower prices, today announced a strategic collaboration agreement with Abdul Latif Jameel Health, part of international diversified family business Abdul Latif Jameel. Through the agreement, Abdul Latif Jameel Health will become EQRx’s regulatory and commercial partner for aumolertinib and sugemalimab, if approved, in selected markets throughout the Middle East region, as well as in Turkey and all of Africa.
Aumolertinib, an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) inhibitor, and sugemalimab, an anti-PD-L1 antibody, have both shown promising Phase 3 data for the treatment of patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
“This strategic collaboration aims to expand the commercial reach of our lead oncology programs throughout the Middle East, Turkey and Africa and provide millions of people with access to affordable new cancer treatments,” said Melanie Nallicheri, chief executive officer of EQRx. “We are excited to partner with Abdul Latif Jameel Health which brings extensive regulatory and commercial expertise in these vast regions as we continue to work to create sustainable access to innovative medicines globally.”
“This agreement comes as we forge ahead in our mission to source, collaborate with and fund innovators within the medical world that are re-examining how to improve the current healthcare landscape by disrupting existing methods and working to accelerate the wider inclusivity of healthcare throughout the world,” said Akram Bouchenaki, chief executive officer, Abdul Latif Jameel Health. “It’s our joint mission with EQRx to change that, a mission that is aligned with the values of the Jameel Family.”
About Lung Cancer
Every 15 seconds, a person across the world is diagnosed with lung cancer, and every 18 seconds, a person dies of the disease, making it the second most commonly diagnosed cancer and leading cause of cancer death worldwide. In 2020, an estimated 2.2 million people were diagnosed with lung cancer.1 NSCLC is the most common type of lung cancer, accounting for 84% of all lung cancer diagnoses.2
About Aumolertinib
Aumolertinib 110 mg once-daily is a prescription medicine approved in China as AMEILE® for the treatment of patients with metastatic EGFR T790M mutation-positive NSCLC, as detected by a genomic test, who have progressed on or after prior EGFR TKI therapy. Aumolertinib is a novel, irreversible EGFR-TKI that selectively inhibits both EGFR sensitizing and resistance mutations with high selectivity over wild-type EGFR. Aumolertinib was approved in China in March 2020 based on the large single arm Phase 2 APOLLO study in second-line settings. The ongoing Phase 3 AENEAS trial in first-line settings met its primary endpoint of progression-free survival and topline results were presented at the 2021 ASCO Annual Meeting. Hansoh Pharma and EQRx have partnered to expand global access to aumolertinib. EQRx holds the development and commercialization rights to aumolertinib outside of Greater China and is pursuing regulatory discussions in multiple countries.
About Sugemalimab
Sugemalimab is an investigational monoclonal antibody targeting programmed death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) discovered by CStone Pharmaceuticals. Authorized by the U.S.-based Ligand Corporation, sugemalimab is developed by the OmniRat® transgenic animal platform, which can generate fully human antibodies in one stop. As a fully human, full-length anti-PD-L1 monoclonal antibody, sugemalimab mirrors the natural G-type immunoglobulin 4 (IgG4) human antibody, which reduces the risk of immunogenicity and potential toxicities in patients, a potential advantage during treatment. Currently, sugemalimab is being investigated in a number of ongoing clinical trials including four Phase 3 registration studies in Stage III NSCLC (GEMSTONE-301), Stage IV NSCLC (GEMSTONE-302), gastric cancer, and esophageal cancer. Both the GEMSTONE-301 and GEMSTONE-302 studies met their primary endpoints of progression free survival and results were recently presented at global medical congresses. In November 2020, the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) of China accepted the New Drug Application for sugemalimab combined with chemotherapy for the first-line treatment of advanced squamous and non-squamous NSCLC patients. EQRx holds the development and commercialization rights to sugemalimab outside of Greater China and plans to pursue regulatory discussions in multiple countries.
About EQRx
EQRx is a new type of pharmaceutical company committed to developing and delivering innovative medicines to patients at radically lower prices. Launched in January 2020, EQRx is purpose-built, at scale, with a growing catalog of medicines in development in high-cost drug categories and emerging partnerships with leading payers and providers. Leveraging cutting-edge science and technology and strategic partnerships with stakeholders from across the healthcare system, EQRx aims to provide innovative, patent-protected medicines more efficiently and cost-effectively than ever before. In August 2021, EQRx announced a proposed combination with CM Life Sciences III (Nasdaq: CMLTU) to accelerate its growth. The combination is expected to be completed in the fourth quarter of 2021. To learn more, visit www.eqrx.com and follow us on social media: Twitter: @EQRxInc, LinkedIn, Instagram: @eqrxinc.
EQRx™ and Remaking Medicine™ are trademarks of EQRx, Inc.
References:
1World Health Organization, International Agency for Research on Cancer. Globocan 2020: Lung Cancer. International Agency for Research on Cancer. Available https://gco.iarc.fr/today/data/factsheets/cancers/15-Lung-fact-sheet.pdf. Accessed: May 20, 2021.
2https://www.cancer.org/cancer/lung-cancer/about/key-statistics.html
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This communication contains certain forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws with respect to the proposed transaction between EQRx and CM Life Sciences III, including express or implied statements regarding the ability to consummate the transaction and become a public company, as well as EQRx’s ability to accelerate growth and expand access to innovative medicines, EQRx’s ability to obtain FDA and other approvals of any product candidates in its pipeline, ability to expand its pipeline, and execute on its business strategy with payers, as well as other statements regarding plans and market opportunities of EQRx. These forward-looking statements generally are identified by the words “believe,” “project,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “estimate,” “intend,” “strategy,” “future,” “opportunity,” “plan,” “may,” “should,” “will,” “would,” “will be,” “will continue,” “will likely result,” and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are predictions, projections and other statements about future events that are based on current expectations and assumptions and, as a result, are subject to risks and uncertainties. Many factors could cause actual future events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements in this press release, including but not limited to: (i) the risk that the transaction may not be completed in a timely manner or at all, (ii) the risk that the transaction may not be completed by CM Life Sciences III’s business combination deadline and the potential failure to obtain an extension of the business combination deadline if sought by CM Life Sciences III, (iii) the failure to satisfy the conditions to the consummation of the transaction, including the adoption of the merger agreement by the stockholders of CM Life Sciences III, the satisfaction of the minimum trust account amount following redemptions by CM Life Sciences III’s public stockholders and the receipt of certain governmental and regulatory approvals, (iv) the lack of a third-party valuation in determining whether or not to pursue the transaction, (v) the inability to complete the PIPE investment in connection with the transaction, (vi) the occurrence of any event, change or other circumstance that could give rise to the termination of the merger agreement, (vii) the effect of the announcement or pendency of the transaction on EQRx’s business relationships, operating results and business generally, (viii) risks that the proposed transaction disrupts current plans and operations of EQRx and potential difficulties in EQRx employee retention as a result of the transaction, (ix) the outcome of any legal proceedings that may be instituted against CM Life Sciences III or EQRx related to the merger agreement or the transaction, (x) the ability to maintain the listing of CM Life Sciences III’s securities on a national securities exchange, (xi) changes in the competitive and highly regulated industries in which EQRx operates, variations in operating performance across competitors, changes in laws and regulations affecting EQRx’s business and changes in the combined capital structure, (xii) risks associated with EQRx’s ability to implement its business plans, including risks associated with its growth strategy, obtaining regulatory approvals, and creating a global payer network, and other risks associating with its plans to create a new kind of pharmaceutical company, (xiii) the risk of downturns and a changing regulatory landscape in the highly competitive healthcare and biopharmaceutical industries, (xiv) the size and growth of the markets in which EQRx operates and its ability to offer innovative medicines at reduced prices, and (xv) EQRx’s ability to operate as a public company. The foregoing list of factors is not exhaustive. You should carefully consider the foregoing factors and the other risks and uncertainties described in the “Risk Factors” section of the proxy statement/prospectus included in the registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-259054) filed with the SEC in connection with the transaction and other documents filed by CM Life Sciences III from time to time with the SEC. These filings identify and address other important risks and uncertainties that could cause actual events and results to differ materially from those contained in the forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date they are made. Readers are cautioned not to put undue reliance on forward-looking statements, and EQRx and CM Life Sciences III assume no obligation and do not intend to update or revise these forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise. Neither EQRx nor CM Life Sciences III gives any assurance that either EQRx or CM Life Sciences III or the combined company will achieve its expectations.
Additional Information and Where to Find It / Non-Solicitation
In connection with the proposed transaction, CM Life Sciences III filed a registration statement on Form S-4 (File No. 333-259054) with the SEC including the preliminary proxy statement/prospectus. The definitive proxy statement/prospectus will be sent to the stockholders of CM Life Sciences III. CM Life Sciences III and EQRx also will file other documents regarding the proposed transaction with the SEC. Before making any voting decision, investors and security holders of CM Life Sciences III are urged to read the registration statement, the proxy statement/prospectus, and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC in connection with the proposed transaction as they become available because they will contain important information about the proposed transaction. Investors and security holders will be able to obtain free copies of the registration statement, the proxy statement/prospectus and all other relevant documents filed or that will be filed with the SEC by CM Life Sciences III and EQRx through the website maintained by the SEC at http://www.sec.gov.
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