ADC Therapeutics Doses First Patient in Pivotal Clinical Trial of ADCT-402 in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma

7 August 2018

Phase II trial evaluating efficacy and safety of CD19-targeting antibody drug conjugate intended to support submission of Biologics License Application

 Top-line data expected in third quarter of 2019

 Lausanne, Switzerland, August 7, 2018 – ADC Therapeutics, an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), today announced that the first patient has been dosed in its Phase II clinical trial intended to support the submission of Biologics License Application (BLA) to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The clinical trial is evaluating the efficacy and safety of ADCT-402 (loncastuximab tesirine) in patients with relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL).

At the 2017 American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, the Company presented interim Phase I data on ADCT-402 in 138 evaluable, heavily pre-treated lymphoma patients who had failed, or were intolerant to, any established therapy known to provide clinical benefit, with a median of three prior therapies. At the time, for the 49 response-evaluable patients in Part 1 of the study (dose escalation) with DLBCL who received ADCT-402 at doses greater than or equal to 120 μg/kg, the overall response rate (ORR) was 55 percent (27/49), with 18 patients achieving a complete response (37 percent) and 9 patients achieving a partial response (18 percent).

The primary endpoint of the Phase II, multi-center, open-label, single-arm trial is the ORR in patients treated with ADCT-402, as confirmed by central review. Secondary endpoints include assessments of duration of response, complete response rate, relapse-free survival, progression-free survival and overall survival, as well as safety, pharmacokinetics and health-related quality of life. The trial will enroll approximately 140 patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL at multiple centers in the USA and Europe.

“We are pleased to have dosed the first patient in our registrational Phase II clinical trial evaluating ADCT-402 in patients with DLBCL who have relapsed and have refractory disease after two or more multi-agent treatment regimens. Our Phase I clinical trial of ADCT-402 in non-Hodgkin lymphoma showed significant activity in patients with DLBCL and an acceptable safety profile,” said Jay Feingold, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at ADC Therapeutics. “Unfortunately, there is no effective treatment for patients with multiple relapsed and refractory DLBCL, so we are excited about the potential to improve outcomes in these patients with ADCT-402 in a single-arm trial. We anticipate reporting results from the Phase II trial in the third quarter of 2019 and are hopeful that the data will support our submission of a BLA to the FDA.”

Alex Spira, MD, PhD, FACP, Director of Virginia Cancer Specialists Research Institute and Clinical Assistant Professor of Oncology at Johns Hopkins School of Medicine, added, “Patients with DLBCL who have relapsed or are refractory after second-line chemotherapy face a very poor prognosis. There is a significant unmet need for an effective new treatment option for this patient population, and we believe ADCT-402 has the potential to help impact patient outcomes in this disease.”

For more information about the Phase II clinical trial, please visit www.clinicaltrials.gov (identifier NCT03589469).

ADC Therapeutics also plans to initiate multiple combination studies with ADCT-402 in the fourth quarter of 2018.

About Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL)

 Non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) is the seventh most common type of cancer in the U.S., and accounted for an estimated 4.3 percent of new cancer cases in 2017.¹ Diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) accounts for nearly one-third (32.5 percent) of NHL.² The most common initial treatment for patients with DLBCL is chemo-immunotherapy. Response to initial treatment is high, but more than half of patients do not have long-term disease control.³ The current standard of care for relapsed DLBCL is additional chemotherapy, which can be followed by stem cell transplantation (SCT). The prognosis for relapsed patients is poor, especially for those with chemotherapy-refractory disease with a short interval between remission and relapse or those who relapse after high-dose therapy and SCT. There is a significant unmet need for an effective treatment for patients with relapsed or refractory DLBCL.

About ADCT-402

ADCT-402 is an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to human CD19, conjugated through a linker to a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer toxin. Once bound to a CD19-expressing cell, ADCT-402 is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based warhead. CD19 is a clinically validated target for the treatment of B-cell malignancies. The PBD-based warhead has the ability to form highly cytotoxic DNA interstrand cross-links, blocking cell division and resulting in cell death. Preliminary data from a Phase I clinical trial in relapsed or refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma demonstrate ADCT-402 has significant activity in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). ADCT-402 is also being evaluated in an ongoing Phase I clinical trial in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has granted orphan drug designation to ADCT-402 for the treatment of DLBCL and mantle cell lymphoma.

About ADC Therapeutics

ADC Therapeutics SA is an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads via a chemical linker. The Company has multiple PBD-based ADCs in ongoing clinical trials in the USA and Europe, and a deep pipeline of other preclinical ADCs in development. ADC Therapeutics has world-class partners, including AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune. The Company is based in Lausanne (Biopôle), Switzerland and has operations in London, San Francisco and New Jersey. For more information, visit www.adctherapeutics.com.

1) Siegel et al., 2017

2) Al-Hamadani et al., 2015

3) Gisselbrecht et al., 2010

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

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6 Degrees
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ADC Therapeutics Announces the Termination of its ADCT-502 Program Targeting HER2 Expressing Solid Tumors

25 April 2018

Data on safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and efficacy did not demonstrate sufficient patient benefit to justify further development

Lausanne, Switzerland, April 25th, 2018 – ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced that it has terminated the Phase I clinical trial to evaluate its antibody drug conjugate (ADC) ADCT-502 in patients with advanced solid tumors with HER2 expression.

Dr. Jay Feingold, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at ADCT said: “We are very pleased with the efficacy and tolerability achieved with our lead hematological PBD-based ADC programs, but regrettably this has not been the case with our HER2 targeted ADC. PBD’s (pyrrolobenzodiazepine dimers) are extremely potent and have a well characterized safety profile that includes fluid retention and pulmonary edema. For most PBD ADCs this can be managed by selecting dosing regimens that are efficacious with manageable toxicities. However, during dose escalation in this trial we did not achieve the necessary efficacy at tolerated doses required for patient benefit. This was possibly due to the extensive expression of HER2 in pulmonary tissue. Our next two solid tumor ADCs progressing into the clinic over the next nine months incorporate site specific conjugation technology which based on pre-clinical models has the potential to substantially improve tolerability and efficacy in difficult to treat solid tumors. Preclinical data on these programs was presented at the recent American Association of Cancer Research conference.” 

Chris Martin, CEO at ADCT said: “Patients with HER2 expressing tumors have multiple therapeutic options including novel therapies in clinical development that are producing encouraging data. ADC Therapeutic’s strategy is to progress a deep pipeline of ADCs into Phase I in order to assess their clinical and market potential based on actual human data, and only to progress into later stage development those ADCs that demonstrate the potential to be best in class in areas of high unmet medical need. We currently have three other ADC programs in the clinic, and we plan to commence clinical trials for three additional programs in the next 9 months, including a third hematological program. Moreover, our two most advanced clinical programs are progressing into later stage development over 2018.”

At this time, ADC Therapeutics is collecting and evaluating the study data from the ADCT-502 Phase I trial, which will be presented for publication later this year. 

About ADCT-502

ADCT-502 is an investigational antibody drug conjugate (ADC) composed of the humanized monoclonal antibody trastuzumab directed against the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). The antibody is site-specifically conjugated to the PBD-based linker-drug tesirine. Once bound to the HER2 receptor on the cell surface, ADCT-502 is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based warhead. HER2 is a well-established, clinically validated target expressed in a wide variety of solid tumors, including breast, gastric, esophageal, bladder and lung cancer.

About ADC Therapeutics

ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) is an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) based warheads via a chemical linker. The Company has multiple PBD-based antibody drug conjugates in ongoing clinical trials in the USA and Europe, and a deep pipeline of other preclinical ADCs in development. ADCT enjoys strong relationships with world class partners, including AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune. The Company is based in Lausanne (Biopôle), Switzerland and has operations in London, San Francisco and New Jersey. (www.adctherapeutics.com).

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics to Present Two New Investigational Antibody-Drug Conjugates at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting

11 April 2018

Lausanne, Switzerland, April 11, 2018 – ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced its presence at the Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) taking place April 14-18, 2018 in Chicago, USA. Two poster presentations will highlight strong preclinical data for its two new investigational programs ADCT-601 targeting AXL and ADCT-701 targeting DLK-1. In addition, Dr. Jaewoong Lee, of The Beckman Institute of the City of Hope will make an oral presentation on novel preclinical data for ADCT-301 targeting CD25. 

“Our two new investigational programs show compelling efficacy and safety in preclinical studies,”  said Dr. Jay Feingold, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at ADCT. “These results provide an important step to advance ADCT-601 and ADCT-701 into the clinic and enlarge our pipeline of PBD-based ADCs in multiple ongoing clinical trials for the treatment of both solid and hematological cancers.”  

Poster titles and highlights of the data that will be presented are available on the AACR conference website at www.aacr.org and include the following:

ADCT-701, a novel pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer-based antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting DLK1-expressing tumors

Abstract #744, April 15, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm CT

• ADCT-701 is an ADC composed of a humanized IgG1 antibody against human DLK1, site-specifically conjugated using GlycoConnect^TM technology to PL1601, which contains a valine-alanine cleavable linker and the PBD dimer cytotoxin SG3199.
• ADCT-701 demonstrated potent and specific in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor activity in DLK1-expressing cancer-derived models and it was stable and well tolerated in rats.

Preclinical activity of ADCT-601, a novel pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer-based antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting AXL-expressing tumors

Abstract #2792A, April 16, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm CT

• ADCT-601 is an ADC composed of a humanized IgG1 antibody against human AXL, site-specifically conjugated using GlycoConnect^TM technology to PL1601, which contains a valine-alanine cleavable linker and the PBD dimer cytotoxin SG3199.
• ADCT-601 demonstrated potent and specific in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor activity in various cancer-derived models with different levels of membranous AXL, and it was stable and well tolerated in rats.

CD25 enables oncogenic BCR- and TCR-signaling and represents a therapeutic target in lymphoblastic malignancies

Abstract #2983, April 16, 2018, 4:05 PM - 4:20 PM

• Novel data identifies CD25 as a previously unrecognized feedback regulator of oncogenic B/TCR-signaling supporting CD25 as a therapeutic target in refractory lymphoid malignancies.
• ADCT-301 demonstrated durable remissions in patient-derived Ph⁺ALL cells PDX models

About ADC Therapeutics

ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) is an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) based warheads via a chemical linker. The Company has multiple PBD-based antibody drug conjugates in ongoing clinical trials in the USA and Europe, and a deep pipeline of other preclinical ADCs in development. ADCT enjoys strong relationships with world class partners, including AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune. The Company is based in Lausanne (Biopôle), Switzerland and has operations in London, San Francisco and New Jersey. (www.adctherapeutics.com).

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Presents Interim Phase I Data from its Novel Antibody-Drug Conjugate ADCT-402

11 December 2017

Presented at ASH Annual Meeting

Lausanne, Switzerland, December 11, 2017 – ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced clinical data from two ongoing Phase I clinical trials evaluating ADCT-402 (loncastuximab tesirine or “Lonca-T”) in important subtypes of lymphoma and leukemia. The data were presented at the 59^th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in Atlanta, USA.

1. Interim results of a Phase I open label, single agent, dose-escalating study of ADCT-402 evaluating tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics and efficacy in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

Dr. Brad Kahl, M.D., Professor for Medical Oncology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis, said: “A significant number of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma (DLBCL) patients become relapsed or refractory to existing therapies and have no approved treatment options. As a result, we are very excited about the 60 percent overall response rate (ORR) of Lonca-T at 120 µg/kg or higher, including a 35 percent complete response rate, in this difficult-to-treat patient population. Although the data are still maturing, we are also very encouraged by a median duration of response so far of approximately 5 months. Overall, these results justify the rapid development of the Lonca-T clinical program to address this unmet need.”

Data were presented from 138 evaluable, heavily pre-treated, patients who had failed, or were intolerant to, any established therapy known to provide clinical benefit. The median age of patients was 64 years, and they had a median of 3 prior therapies. Data were reported from Part 1 and Part 2 of the Phase I study as of November 1, 2017. In Part 1 (dose escalation), 88 patients were treated at dose ranges from 15-200 µg/kg. In Part 2 (dose expansion), 50 patients were treated in two cohorts at either 120 or 150 µg/kg.

Key findings presented at an oral presentation included:

• For the 68 response-evaluable patients in Part 1 at doses greater than or equal to 120 μg/kg, the ORR was 60 percent (41/68) with 24 patients achieving a complete response (35 percent) and 17 patients achieving a partial response (25 percent).
• For the 49 response-evaluable patients in Part 1 with Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma at doses greater than or equal to 120 µg/kg the ORR was 55 percent (27/49) with 18 patients achieving a complete response (37 percent) and 9 patients achieving a partial response (18 percent).  
• ADCT-402 has been reasonably well tolerated.
• The most common treatment-emergent adverse events of any grade occurring in at least 20 percent of patients in Part 1 and Part 2 were fatigue (44 percent), nausea (28 percent), elevated gamma-glutamyltransferase (27 percent), anemia (25 percent), and peripheral edema (25 percent). The most common Grade 3 or 4 adverse events occurring in at least 5 percent of patients, regardless of attribution, were reduced neutrophil count (15 percent), elevated gamma-glutamyltransferase (15 percent), anemia (12 percent), reduced platelet count (12 percent), neutropenia (12 percent), thrombocytopenia (9 percent), elevated blood alkaline phosphatase (5 percent), fatigue (5 percent), reduced lymphocyte count (5 percent), and reduced white blood cell count (5 percent).
• Dose expansion in Part 2 of the Phase I study may continue using the recommended doses from Part 1 (i.e. 120 or 150 µg/kg).

2. Elucidating Exposure-Response (Safety and Efficacy) of ADCT-402 (Loncastuximab Tesirine), a Novel Pyrrolobenzodiazepine-containing Antibody Drug Conjugate, for Recommended Phase 2 Dose Determination in Patients with Relapsed or Refractory Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma

This poster presented pharmacokinetic (PK) data elucidating the relationship between drug exposure and response in terms of safety and efficacy. 

3. Interim results of a Phase I open label, single agent, dose-escalating study of ADCT-402 evaluating tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics and efficacy in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Data were presented from 29 evaluable, heavily pre-treated, patients who had failed, or were intolerant to, any established therapy known to provide clinical benefit. The median age of patients was 50 years, and they had a median of 2 prior therapies. Data were reported from Part 1 of the Phase I study as of November 1, 2017. In Part 1 (dose escalation), patients were treated at dose ranges from 15-150 µg/kg every three weeks, or at a dose of 50 µg/kg once weekly.

Key findings presented at a poster session included:

• Four patients achieved a complete bone marrow response.
• ADCT-402 has been reasonably well tolerated.
• The most common treatment-emergent adverse events of any grade occurring in at least 20 percent of patients were nausea (31 percent), fatigue (24 percent), febrile neutropenia (24 percent), and headache (24 percent). The most common Grade 3 or 4 adverse events occurring in at least 10 percent of patients, regardless of attribution, were febrile neutropenia (24 percent), reduced neutrophil count (14 percent), bacteremia (10 percent), abdominal pain (10 percent), lung infection (10 percent), and sepsis (10 percent).
• Dose escalation will continue using weekly dosing.

About ADCT-402

ADCT-402 is an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to human CD19, conjugated through a linker to a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-dimer toxin. Once bound to a CD19- expressing cell, ADCT-402 is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based warhead. CD19 is a clinically validated target for the treatment of B-cell malignancies. The PBD-based warhead has the ability to form highly cytotoxic DNA interstrand cross-links, blocking cell division and resulting in cell death. ADCT-402 is being evaluated in two ongoing Phase I clinical trials in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lineage non-Hodgkin lymphoma and relapsed or refractory B-cell lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia. (www.adct-402.com)

About ADC Therapeutics

ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) is an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major types of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) based warheads via a chemical linker. The Company has four PBD-based antibody drug conjugates in six ongoing Phase Ia and Ib clinical trials in the USA and in Europe, and a deep pipeline of other preclinical ADCs in development. ADCT enjoys strong relationships with world class partners, including AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune. The Company is based in Lausanne (Biopôle), Switzerland and has operations in London, San Francisco and New Jersey. (www.adctherapeutics.com).

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Announces Interim Phase I Data from its Novel Antibody-Drug Conjugate ADCT-301

11 December 2017

Presented at ASH Annual Meeting

Lausanne, Switzerland, December 11, 2017 – ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced clinical data from two ongoing Phase I clinical trials evaluating ADCT-301 (camidanlumab tesirine or “Cami-T”) in important subtypes of lymphoma and leukemia. The data were presented at the 59^th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting in Atlanta, USA.

1. Interim results of a Phase I open label, single agent, dose-escalating study of ADCT-301 evaluating tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics and efficacy in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell Hodgkin’s or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Dr. Steven M. Horwitz, Medical Oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, and Principal Investigator, said: “Despite considerable advances in the treatment of lymphoma, a significant number of patients still relapse or become refractory to existing therapies and need new treatment options. We are excited by the 77 percent overall response rate (ORR) in Hodgkin Lymphoma (HL), including a 44 percent complete response rate. We are also seeing emerging efficacy signals in T-cell lymphomas (ORR: 33 percent) and B-cell lymphomas (ORR: 19 percent). Although still early, we are very encouraged by a median duration of response for HL patients of over 5 months to-date.  The safety profile appears consistent with what we expect with this target and warhead. We are now working to determine the best dosing regimen for Phase II.“ 

Data were presented from 86 evaluable, heavily pre-treated patients who had failed, or were intolerant to, any established therapy known to provide clinical benefit. The median age of patients was 53 years and they had a median of 4 prior therapies. Data were reported from Part 1 and Part 2 of the Phase I study as of November 1, 2017. In Part 1 (dose escalation), 71 patients were treated at dose ranges from 3-150 µg/kg every three weeks.  In Part 2 (dose expansion), 15 Hodgkin Lymphoma patients were treated at 45 µg/kg every 3 weeks.

Key findings presented at the poster presentation included:  

• For the 27 response-evaluable patients with HL in Part 1, treated at doses greater than or equal to 45 µg/kg, the ORR was 77 percent (21/27 patients) with 12 patients achieving a complete response (44 percent) and 9 patients achieving a partial response (33 percent).
• For the 12 response-evaluable patients with HL in Part 1 and Part 2, treated at the 45 µg/kg dose, the ORR was 100 percent (12/12) with 6 patients achieving a complete response (50 percent) and 6 patients achieving a partial response (50 percent).
• For HL patients in Part 1 and Part 2, treated at doses greater than or equal to 45 µg/kg, a complete or partial response was achieved in 21 of 27 patients previously treated with brentuximab vedotin (77 percent), 13 of 18 patients previously treated with a checkpoint inhibitor (72 percent), 9 of 14 patients who had previously undergone a stem cell transplantation (64 percent), and 4 of 8 patients who had previously received all three of these treatments (50 percent).
• ADCT-301 has been reasonably well tolerated.
• The most common treatment-emergent adverse events of any grade occurring in at least 20 percent of patients in Part 1 and Part 2 were fatigue (30 percent), rash (26 percent), elevated gamma-glutamyltransferase (22 percent), and pyrexia (21 percent). The most common Grade 3 or 4 adverse events occurring in at least 5 percent of patients, regardless of attribution, were elevated gamma-glutamyltransferase (13 percent), reduced platelet count (9 percent), elevated alanine aminotransferase (6 percent), anemia (6 percent), and rash (6 percent). There were three heavily pre-treated patients diagnosed with auto-immune neurotoxicity, including two patients who developed Guillain-Barré syndrome.
• These encouraging preliminary safety and efficacy results support further characterization of the dosing regime to optimize the therapeutic window in Hodgkin Lymphoma for a Phase II study.

2.  Interim results of a Phase I open label, single agent, dose-escalating study of ADCT-301 evaluating tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics and efficacy in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell acute myeloid leukemia or acute lymphoblastic leukemia

Data were presented from 33 evaluable, heavily pre-treated, patients who had failed, or were intolerant to, any established therapy known to provide clinical benefit. The median age of patients was 67 years and they had a median of 3 prior therapies. In Part 1 (dose escalation), 33 patients were treated at dose ranges from 3-92 µg/kg every three weeks, or 30-37.5 µg/kg once weekly.

Key findings presented at the poster presentation included: 

• One patient achieved a complete response with incomplete blood count recovery.
• ADCT-301 has shown an acceptable safety profile.
• The most common treatment-emergent adverse events of any grade occurring in at least 20 percent of patients were fatigue (30 percent), nausea (24 percent), febrile neutropenia (21 percent), and pneumonia (21 percent). The most common Grade 3 or 4 adverse events occurring in at least 10 percent of patients, regardless of attribution, were febrile neutropenia (21 percent), thrombocytopenia (15 percent), fatigue (12 percent), reduced neutrophil count (12 percent), and pneumonia (12 percent).
• Dose escalation will continue to investigate weekly dosing.

About ADCT-301

ADCT-301 is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a monoclonal antibody that binds to CD25 (HuMax®-TAC, licensed from Genmab A/S), conjugated to a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer toxin. Once bound to a CD25-expresing cell, ADCT-301 is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based warhead. CD25 is an attractive target for an ADC approach as it is expressed in a wide range of hematological malignancies, including certain forms of lymphomas and leukemias, while its expression in healthy organs is restricted. ADCT-301 is being evaluated in two ongoing phase Ia/Ib clinical trials in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and in patients with relapsed or refractory CD25-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). (www.adct-301.com)

About ADC Therapeutics

ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) is an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major types of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) based warheads via a chemical linker. The Company has four PBD-based antibody drug conjugates in six ongoing Phase Ia and Ib clinical trials in the USA and in Europe, and a deep pipeline of other preclinical ADCs in development. ADCT enjoys strong relationships with world class partners, including AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune. The Company is based in Lausanne (Biopôle), Switzerland and has operations in London, San Francisco and New Jersey. (www.adctherapeutics.com).

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics to Present New Clinical Data for ADCT-402 and ADCT-301 at the American Society of Hematology 2017 Annual Meeting

15 November 2017

Lausanne, Switzerland, November 15, 2017 – ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced that five abstracts, including one oral presentation, have been accepted for presentation at the American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting taking place December 9-12, 2017 in Atlanta, USA. The presentations will highlight the clinical data from ADCT-402 and ADCT-301, the two most advanced programs in its portfolio of ADCs targeting haematological and solid tumours.

ADCT-402 and ADCT-301 are currently in four Phase Ia/Ib clinical studies, and incorporate a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads with a unique mode of action. ADCT-402 is an ADC targeting CD19 for the treatment of non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). ADCT-301 is an ADC targeting CD25 for the treatment of Hodgkin and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (HL/NHL), as well as acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).

“We are excited by the clincal data we are presenting at ASH this year. The presentation and posters cover two clinical stage programs where we have seen considerable single agent clinical activity, in relapsed and refractory disease settings, in patients who have undergone multiple prior therapies, and have very limited treatment options,” said Dr. Chris Martin, CEO of ADC Therapeutics. “We look forward to further developing our ADC pipeline and are pleased that our ADCs continue to demonstrate encouraging clinical activity across multiple tumor types.”

The titles for the oral presentation and poster presentations are as follows, including date and time:

Oral presentation:

ADCT-402 (Abstract #187):

• “Encouraging early results from the first-In-human clinical trial of ADCT-402 (Loncastuximab tesirine), a novel pyrrolobenzodiazepine-based antibody drug conjugate, in relapsed/refractory B-cell lineage non-Hodgkin lymphoma.”
  Session 626
  Saturday, December 9, 2017 at 2:00pm to 3:30 pm, Bldg A, Lvl 4, A411-A412
  

Poster presentations:

ADCT-402 (Abstract #1321)

• “Interim data from a phase 1 study evaluating pyrrolobenzodiazepine-based antibody drug conjugate ADCT-402 (Loncastuximab tesirine) targeting CD19 for relapsed or refractory B-Cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia.”
  Session 614
  Saturday, December 9, 2017 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm, Bldg A, Lvl 1, Hall A2
  

ADCT- 402 (Abstract #2543):

• “Elucidating exposure-response (safety and efficacy) of ADCT-402 (Loncastuximab tesirine), a novel pyrrolobenzodiazepine-containing antibody drug conjugate, for recommended phase 2 dose determination in patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma.”
  Session 614
  Sunday, December 10, 2017 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, Bldg A, Lvl 1, Hall A2
  

ADCT-301 (Abstract #1510):

• “Interim results from a phase 1 study of ADCT-301 (Camidanlumab tesirine) show promising activity of a novel pyrrolobenzodiazepine-based antibody drug conjugate in relapsed/refractory Hodgkin/non-Hodgkin lymphoma.”
  Session 624
  Saturday, December 9, 2017 from 5:30pm to 7:30pm, Bldg A, Lvl 1, Hall A2
  

ADCT-301 (Abstract #2662):

• “Results from an ongoing phase 1 Study indicate ADCT-301 (Camidanlumab tesirine) is well tolerated in patients with relapsed or refractory CD25-positive acute leukemia.”
  Session 616
  Sunday, December 10, 2017 from 6:00pm to 8:00pm, Bldg A, Lvl 1, Hall A2
  

Learn more about the ADC programs at the ADC Therapeutics Booth #323 in the Exhibition Hall B2

About ADCT-402

ADCT-402 is an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to human CD19, conjugated through a linker to a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-dimer toxin. Once bound to a CD19-expresing cell, ADCT-402 is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based warhead. CD19 is a clinically validated target for the treatment of certain CD19-expressing B-cell malignancies. The PBD-based warhead has the ability to form highly cytotoxic DNA interstrand cross-links, blocking cell division and resulting in cell death. ADCT-402 is being evaluated in two ongoing Phase Ia/Ib clinical trials in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lineage non-Hodgkin lymphoma and relapsed or refractory B-cell lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia. (www.adct-402.com)

About ADCT-301

ADCT-301 is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a monoclonal antibody that binds to CD25 (HuMax®-TAC, licensed from Genmab A/S), conjugated through a linker to a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer toxin. Once bound to a CD25-expresing cell, ADCT-301 is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based warhead. CD25 is an attractive target for an ADC approach as it is expressed in a wide range of hematological malignancies, including certain forms of lymphomas and leukemias, while its expression in healthy organs is restricted. ADCT-301 is being evaluated in two ongoing phase Ia/Ib clinical trials in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and in patients with relapsed or refractory CD25-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL).
(www.adct-301.com)

About ADC Therapeutics

ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major types of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) based warheads via a chemical linker. The Company has four PBD-based antibody drug conjugates in six ongoing Phase Ia and Ib clinical trials in the USA and in Europe. ADCT enjoys strong relationships with world class partners, including AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune. The Company is based in Lausanne (Biopôle), Switzerland and has operations in London, San Francisco and New Jersey. (www.adctherapeutics.com)

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Announces Closing of $200 Million Private Financing to Fund Two Lead Programs Through Registrational Trials

23 October 2017

Lausanne, Switzerland, October 23, 2017 - ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced that it has raised $200 million through a private placement. The financing was oversubscribed and supported by both existing and new investors, including Auven Therapeutics, Redmile, the Wild Family Office and AstraZeneca.
 

The proceeds will be used to progress ADCT-301 and ADCT-402 into planned registrational trials in 2018. Both candidates are currently in four clinical studies in important sub-types of lymphoma and leukemia. ADCT will also advance ADCT-301 into a combination study for solid tumors. Further it will allow the Company to continue the development of the Phase I study of ADCT-502 in patients with advanced solid tumors with HER2 expression, to file INDs for ADCT-602 and ADCT-601, and to progress a pipeline of pre-clinical ADC programs. ADCT expects to have a total of eight programs in clinical development within 18 months.
 

Dr. Chris Martin, CEO of ADCT, said: "With more than 250 patients dosed, and encouraging data to be presented at the upcoming congress of the American Society of Hematology, this financing is a key step in our strategy and will enable us to accelerate our lead programs and to continue to develop our pipeline. This transaction also reflects the potential value to patients of rapidly developing these active drugs as stand alone and combination therapies. We continue to grow our pipeline of proprietary antibody-drug conjugates in important hematological and solid tumor indications both on our own and in partnerships."
 

ADCT is focused on the development of proprietary ADCs incorporating highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. ADCT's clinical and preclinical programs target major types of both hematological malignancies and solid tumours. Since inception in 2012, the Company has raised $455 million to advance its pipeline of proprietary ADCs. The Company has four PBD-based antibody drug conjugates in six ongoing Phase Ia and Ib clinical trials in the USA and in Europe.
 

About ADC Therapeutics
Founded in 2012 by Auven Therapeutics, which remains the largest shareholder, ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major types of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Company's ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) based warheads via a chemical linker. The Company has four PBD-based antibody drug conjugates in six ongoing Phase Ia and Ib clinical trials in the USA and in Europe. ADCT enjoys strong relationships with world class partners, including AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune. The Company is based in Lausanne, Switzerland and has operations in London, San Francisco and New Jersey. (www.adctherapeutics.com)

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Presents Interim Data from the First Clinical Study of its Novel Antibody-Drug Conjugate ADCT-301 at the 14-ICML

16 June 2017

 -  Favorable tolerability and efficacy results of ADCT-301 in extensively pretreated patients

Lausanne, Switzerland, June 16, 2017 – ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced that the interim data from an ongoing Phase I clinical trial evaluating ADCT-301 for the treatment of relapsed or refractory Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma has been presented at the 14^th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma (ICML) in Lugano, Switzerland. ADCT-301 is a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) composed of HuMax®-TAC, a monoclonal antibody directed against CD25 conjugated to ADCT’s highly potent proprietary pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warhead. CD25 is expressed in a wide range of hematological malignancies, including certain forms of lymphomas and leukemias, while its expression in healthy organs is restricted.

In a poster session at the 14^th ICML, interim results from the ongoing Phase I, open label, dose-escalating study of ADCT-301 evaluating tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics and efficacy  in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (r/r HL/NHL) were presented. Data were reported from 37 extensively pretreated patients with a median age of 46 years, a median treatment duration of 43 days and 2 treatment cycles. Among all patients enrolled at the time of the data cutoff for presentation and evaluable for safety, the most common treatment emergent adverse events have been related to skin and decreased blood counts. The overall response rate for evaluable patients with HL treated with doses ³30µg/kg was 38.5% while 8 of 25 (32%) efficacy evaluable patients at all dose levels with HL and NHL have achieved stable disease as their best response. ADCT-301 was well tolerated and toxicities manageable. Dose escalation continues.

 “The results seen in this early analysis are impressive for these patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma have been heavily pre-treated. These data, combined with the positive results we have seen in preclinical studies continue to highlight what we believe to be the significant potential of our ADC technology platform based on PBD-warheads,” said Dr. Jay Feingold, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at ADCT.

 “Patients with multiply relapsed or refractory Hodgkin’s or non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma have limited treatment options. These early findings are very encouraging as they demonstrate a clear clinical benefit even at  low doses for patients who failed, or are intolerant to any established therapy” said principal investigator Steven M. Horwitz, Medical Oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City. “We look forward to continuing this study to further identify the maximum tolerable dose of ADCT-301 and provide a preliminary assessment of its single-agent anti-tumor activity and toxicity profile."

 In addition to the ongoing Phase I trial, ADCT-301 is currently being evaluated in an ongoing Phase I clinical trial in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML) and Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). ADC Therapeutics has four PBD-based antibody drug conjugates in six ongoing Phase I clinical trials in the USA and in Europe. 

 See the video with Dr Steven Horwitz’s comments under the followimg link: www.adctherapeutics.com/library/301

About lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer that begins in cells of the immune system, in particular in the lymph system. The lymph is rich in lymphocytes, a type of white blood cells that help the body fight off infections and other diseases. Lymphoma develops when lymphocytes become cancerous which can occur in both children and adults. The two main types of lymphomas are Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL), and are differentiated by the type of lymphocytes affected and their appearance under the microscope. According to the National Cancer Institute around 72,000 new people are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the United States and around 9’000 new people are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.

 About ADCT-301

ADCT-301 is an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a monoclonal antibody specific for CD25 (HuMax®-TAC, licensed from Genmab A/S), conjugated through a linker to a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer toxin. Once bound to a CD25-expresing cell, ADCT-301 is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based warhead. CD25 is an attractive target for an ADC approach as it is expressed in a wide range of hematological malignancies, including certain forms of lymphomas and leukemias, while its expression in healthy organs is restricted. ADCT-301 is being evaluated in two ongoing phase Ia/Ib clinical trials in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL), and in patients with relapsed or refractory CD25-positive acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). (www.adct-301.com)

About ADC Therapeutics

Founded in 2012, ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major types of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) based warheads via a chemical linker. Its three lead programs, ADCT-301, ADCT-402, and ADCT-502 are in five Phase I clinical trials in the USA and in Europe. ADCT enjoys strong relationships with world class partners, including AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune. The Company is based in Lausanne, Switzerland and has operations in London, San Francisco and New Jersey (www.adctherapeutics.com).

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Presents First Clinical Data from its Novel Antibody-Drug Conjugate ADCT-402 at the International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma

16 June 2017

• First clinical data of ADCT-402 demonstrate encouraging antitumor activity in relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma

Lausanne, Switzerland, June 16, 2017 – ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced that the first clinical data from an ongoing Phase I clinical trial evaluating ADCT-402 for the treatment of relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma has been presented at the 14^th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma (ICML) in Lugano, Switzerland. ADCT-402 is a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to human CD19, conjugated to ADCT’s highly potent proprietary pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer toxin. CD19 is highly expressed in a wide range of B-cell hematological tumors, including certain forms of lymphomas and leukemias, while its expression in healthy tissues is restricted.

 In a presentation at the 14^th ICML, interim results from the Phase I, open label, dose-escalating study of ADCT-402 evaluating tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics and efficacy in patients with relapsed or refractory non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (r/r NHL) were reported. Data were presented from 62 evaluable patients with a median age of 67 years and a median of 3 previous therapies (range 1-10). Among the patients enrolled at the time of the data cutoff for presentation, ADCT-402 has been reasonably well tolerated with the most common treatment emergent adverse events (TEAEs) being fatigue, neutropenia and thrombocytopenia which have been treated symptomatically and, in some cases, with dose delays, reductions and discontinuation. The overall response rate with doses ³120µg/kg was 61% in the total patient population (comprised of 42% complete response and 19% partial response). In patients with relapsing or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) the overall response rate was 57% (comprised of 43% complete response and 14% partial response). The maximum tolerated dose has not yet been reached.

 Dr. Jay Feingold, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at ADCT said: “These clinical data provide additional support for the efficacy and tolerability of ADCT-402, as well as of our ADC technology platform based on PBD-warheads. In preclinical studies the PBD dimer toxin has been shown to be a highly potent killer of cancer cells even in hard to treat tumors. The presented results confirm the potential role of ADCT-402 in the treatment of relapsed and refractory non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. We believe these findings reflect a strong path forward and we are looking forward to getting further results later this year.”

 “These early findings are very encouraging as they demonstrate a clear clinical benefit and manageable toxicity for patients who failed, or are intolerant to any established therapy” said principal investigator Brad Kahl, M.D. Professor for Medical Oncology at the Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis. “With the impressive activity already observed at low doses, we look forward to continuing this study to further identify the maximum tolerable dose and provide a preliminary assessment of its single-agent anti-tumor activity and toxicity profile. The promising overall response seen in specific non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma subtypes leads us to also further evaluate the drug candidate in diffuse large B-cell lymphoma."

 In addition to the ongoing Phase I trial, ADCT-402 is currently being evaluated in an ongoing Phase I clinical trial in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). ADC Therapeutics has four PBD-based antibody drug conjugates in six ongoing Phase I clinical trials in the USA and in Europe.

 See the video with Prof Brad Kahl’s comments under the followimg link: www.adctherapeutics.com/library/402

About lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer that begins in cells of the immune system, in particular in the lymph system. The lymph is rich in lymphocytes, a type of white blood cells that help the body fight off infections and other diseases. Lymphoma develops when lymphocytes become cancerous which can occur in both children and adults. The two main types of lymphomas are Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL), and are differentiated by the type of lymphocytes affected and their appearance under the microscope. According to the National Cancer Institute around 72,000 new people are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the United States and around 9’000 new people are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.

 About ADCT-402

ADCT-402 is an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to human CD19, conjugated through a linker to a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-dimer toxin. Once bound to a CD19-expresing cell, ADCT-402 is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based warhead. CD19 is a clinically validated target for the treatment of certain CD19-expressing B-cell malignancies. The PBD-based warhead has the ability to form highly cytotoxic DNA interstrand cross-links, blocking cell division and resulting in cell death. ADCT-402 is being evaluated in two ongoing Phase Ia/Ib clinical trials in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lineage non-Hodgkin lymphoma and relapsed or refractory B-cell lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia. (www.adct-402.com)

About ADC Therapeutics

Founded in 2012, ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major types of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) based warheads via a chemical linker. Its three lead programs, ADCT-301, ADCT-402, and ADCT-502 are in five Phase I clinical trials in the USA and in Europe. ADCT enjoys strong relationships with world class partners, including AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune. The Company is based in Lausanne, Switzerland and has operations in London, San Francisco and New Jersey (www.adctherapeutics.com).

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics will be attending the 14th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma June 14-17, 2017 in Lugano, Switzerland

9 June 2017

ADC Therapeutics will be attending the 14^th International Conference on Malignant Lymphoma that will take place in the  Lugano Convention Centre www.lymphcon.ch . The abstracts for an oral presentation (ADCT-402) can be downloaded under this  link   and for a poster (ADCT-301) under this link .

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Receives Orphan Drug Designation for ADCT-402 for the Treatment of Diffuse Large B-Cell Lymphoma and Mantle Cell Lymphoma

9 June 2017

Lausanne, Switzerland, June 9, 2017 – ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has granted Orphan Drug Designation to ADCT-402 for the treatment of diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma. ADCT-402 is a novel antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to human CD19, conjugated to ADCT’s highly potent proprietary pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer toxin.

Dr. Jay Feingold, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at ADCT said: “This Orphan Drug Designation for ADCT-402 recognizes the significant unmet need in patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and mantle cell lymphoma. Many patients have limited treatment options as they have failed or are intolerant to any established therapy. We remain committed to further develop our pipeline to bring valuable new treatment to patients in urgent need. ”

The FDA Orphan Drug Designation program grants a special status to drug candidates intended to treat rare diseases and disorders that affect fewer than 200,000 people in the U.S. This designation provides for a seven year marketing exclusivity period, in addition to certain incentives, including R&D grants, tax credits and waived FDA fees.

 ADCT-402 is being evaluated in two ongoing Phase Ia/Ib clinical trials in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lineage non-Hodgkin lymphoma and relapsed or refractory B-cell lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia. ADC Therapeutics has four PBD-based antibody drug conjugates in six ongoing Phase I clinical trials in the USA and in Europe.

About lymphoma

Lymphoma is a cancer that begins in cells of the immune system, in particular in the lymph system. The lymph is rich in lymphocytes, a type of white blood cells that help the body fight off infections and other diseases. Lymphoma develops when lymphocytes become cancerous which can occur in both children and adults. The two main types of lymphomas are Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin lymphomas (NHL), and are differentiated by the type of lymphocytes affected and their appearance under the microscope. According to the National Cancer Institute around 72,000 new people are diagnosed with non-Hodgkin lymphoma in the United States and around 9’000 new people are diagnosed with Hodgkin lymphoma.

 About ADCT-402

ADCT-402 is an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to human CD19, conjugated through a linker to a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-dimer toxin. Once bound to a CD19-expresing cell, ADCT-402 is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based warhead. CD19 is a clinically validated target for the treatment of certain CD19-expressing B-cell malignancies. The PBD-based warhead has the ability to form highly cytotoxic DNA interstrand cross-links, blocking cell division and resulting in cell death. ADCT-402 is being evaluated in two ongoing Phase Ia/Ib clinical trials in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lineage non-Hodgkin lymphoma and relapsed or refractory B-cell lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia. (www.adct-402.com)

 About ADC Therapeutics

Founded in 2012, ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major types of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) based warheads via a chemical linker. Its three lead programs, ADCT-301, ADCT-402, and ADCT-502 are in five Phase I clinical trials in the USA and in Europe. ADCT enjoys strong relationships with world class partners, including AstraZeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune. The Company is based in Lausanne, Switzerland and has operations in London, San Francisco and New Jersey (www.adctherapeutics.com).

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Doses First Patient in a Phase I Clinical Trial of ADCT-502 in Patients with Advanced Solid Tumors with HER2 Expression

19 May 2017

- Trial to provide data on safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and efficacy
- ADCT-502 represents ADC Therapeutic’s fourth ADC program in clinical trials

Lausanne, Switzerland, May 19, 2017 – ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase I clinical trial to evaluate its antibody drug conjugate (ADC) ADCT-502 in patients with advanced solid tumors with HER2 expression.

The two stage, open-label Phase Ia / Ib clinical trial will evaluate the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and efficacy of ADCT-502 in patients with advanced solid tumors with HER2 expression. The first stage (Phase Ia) is a dose escalation phase which will recruit patients at leading clinical centres across the US and EU, and will seek to determine the recommended dose of ADCT-502. The second consecutive stage (Phase Ib), has the objective to confirm the safety and efficacy profile for ADCT-502 in expanded patient cohorts in multiple potential cancer indications.

ADCT-502 combines a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the protein HER2 with a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) warhead. The HER2 surface protein is expressed at high or low levels in a variety of different tumor types, including breast cancer, gastric and gastroesophageal cancers. In preclinical studies, ADCT-502 exhibited strong dose-dependent anti-tumor activity at low single doses against both low and high HER2 expressing tumors. Given the substantial prevalence of HER2 expression in a range of cancers, ADCT-502 will be evaluated in patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), bladder, biliary tract, and ovarian cancer, for which HER2 targeted therapies are not yet approved.

Dr. Jay Feingold, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at ADCT said: “This is the fourth ADC we have put into the clinic in just over two years. Dosing the first patient in this trial with ADCT-502 is an important milestone for us and could pave the way for a better treatment regimen for patients. The trial will give us vital data on safety, tolerability and dosing. Our preclinical studies suggest ADCT-502 may provide significant clinical benefit for patients suffering from a variety of tumor types which are known to express HER2 in a significant proportion of patients. We are exploring this potential in lung, bladder and biliary tract cancers further within this study as well as in the more established indications of breast and gastric cancer.”

Dr. Kyriakos Papadopoulos, Senior Clinical Investigator of START and one of the investigators of the study said: “Tremendous advances have been made in the treatment of HER2 expressing cancers, particularly gastroesophageal and breast cancers, in the past 20 years. However, a significant portion of this patient population still fail to respond or relapse with currently available therapies. Having seen the effects of other pyrrolobenzodiazepine ADCs in various tumour types in recent years, we eagerly anticipate the results of this study.”

ADC Therapeutics has four PBD-based antibody drug conjugates in six ongoing Phase I clinical trials in the USA and in Europe.

About ADCT-502
ADCT-502 is an investigational antibody drug conjugate (ADC) composed of the humanized monoclonal antibody trastuzumab directed against the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). The antibody is site- specifically conjugated to the PBD-based linker-drug tesirine. Once bound to the HER2 receptor on the cell surface, ADCT-502 is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based warhead. HER2 is a well- established, clinically validated target expressed in a wide variety of solid tumors, including breast, gastric, esophageal, bladder and lung cancer. ADCT-502 is being evaluated in an ongoing Phase I clinical trial in patients with advanced solid tumors with HER2 expression.

About ADC Therapeutics
Founded in 2012, ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major types of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) based warheads via a chemical linker. Its three lead programs, ADCT-301, ADCT-402, and ADCT-502 are in five Phase I clinical trials in the USA and in Europe. ADCT enjoys strong relationships with world class partners, including Astrazeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune. The Company is based in Lausanne, Switzerland and has operations in London, San Francisco and New Jersey (www.adctherapeutics.com).

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Presents Pre-Clinical Data for Two Investigational ADCs at the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting

30 March 2017

Lausanne, Switzerland, March 30, 2017 – ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced that it will present two posters at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting 2017 taking place April 1-5, 2017 in Washington, D.C., USA. The two poster presentations will highlight strong preclinical results from its investigational ADC portfolio including ADCT-402 and ADCT-502.

Poster titles and highlights of the data that will be presented are:

Mechanistic and benchmarking studies of ADCT-502, a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer-containing Antibody Drug Conjugate (ADC) targeting HER2-expressing solid tumors

Abstract #52, April 2, 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm ET

ADCT-502 is an ADC composed of an engineered version of trastuzumab, directed against human HER2, conjugated to the PBD-based linker-drug tesirine.

• The preclinical data show superior in vivo anti-tumor activity of ADCT-502 compared to T-DM1 in various tumor xenografts with low HER2 levels and support the development of ADCT-502 not only in patients that have become resistant/refractory to T-DM1, but also in patients whose tumors express low levels of HER2, and are not eligible for treatment with T-DM1.
• ADCT anticipates starting a Phase I clinical trial in patients with solid tumors during first half of 2017.

Characterization of the mechanism of action, pharmacodynamics and preclinical safety of ADCT-402, a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer-containing Antibody Drug Conjugate (ADC) targeting CD19-expressing hematological malignancies

Abstract #51, April 2, 2017 1:00 pm – 5:00 pm ET

ADCT-402, currently in Phase I clinical trials for B-cell hematological malignancies, is an ADC composed of a humanized antibody against human CD19, conjugated to the PBD-based linker-drug tesirine.

• The data confirm the mode of action of ADCT-402 and provide relevant pharmacodynamic assays and preclinical safety assessment to guide the clinical development of this ADC in B-cell malignancies.

“We are thrilled by our data being presented at the AACR Annual Meeting which demonstrate both safety and efficacy of our proprietary ADC programs and support our ongoing preclinical and clinical development activities,” said Dr. Chris Martin, CEO of ADC Therapeutics. “We look forward to further developing our ADC pipeline for the treatment of both solid and hematological cancers.”

About ADCT-402

ADCT-402 is an investigational antibody drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to human CD19, conjugated to the PBD-based linker-drug tesirine. Once bound to a CD19-expressing cell, ADCT-402 is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based warhead. The PBD-based warhead has the ability to form highly cytotoxic DNA interstrand cross-links, blocking cell division and resulting in cell death. CD19 is a clinically validated target for the treatment of certain CD19-expressing B-cell malignancies. ADCT-402 is being evaluated in two ongoing Phase Ia/Ib clinical trials in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lineage non-Hodgkin lymphoma and relapsed or refractory B-cell lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

 About ADCT-502

ADCT-502 is an investigational antibody drug conjugate (ADC) composed of the humanized monoclonal antibody trastuzumab directed against the human epidermal growth factor receptor 2 (HER2). The antibody is site-specifically conjugated to the PBD-based linker-drug tesirine. Once bound to the HER2 receptor on the cell surface, ADCT-502 is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based warhead. HER2 is a well-established, clinically validated target expressed in a wide variety of solid tumors, including breast, gastric, esophageal, bladder and lung cancer. ADCT anticipates starting a Phase I clinical trial in patients with solid tumors during first half of 2017.

 About ADC Therapeutics

Founded in 2012, ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major types of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads via a chemical linker. Its three lead programs, ADCT-301, ADCT-402, and ADCT-502 are in five Phase I clinical trials in the USA and in Europe. ADCT enjoys strong relationships with world class partners, including Astrazeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune. The Company is based in Lausanne, Switzerland and has operations in London, San Francisco and New Jersey (www.adctherapeutics.com).

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Announces Closing of $105 Million Private Financing

18 October 2016

Lausanne, Switzerland, October 18, 2016 – ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced that it has raised $105 million through a private placement. The financing was oversubscribed and supported by both new and existing investors, including Auven Therapeutics, the Wild Family Office and AstraZeneca.

ADCT, is focused on the development of proprietary ADCs incorporating highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. ADCT’s clinical and preclinical programs target major types of both hematological malignancies and solid tumours. Since inception in 2012, the Company has raised $255 million to advance its pipeline of proprietary ADCs.

The financing proceeds will be used to accelerate the progress of ADCT’s pipeline in clinical development, and to fund commercial manufacturing processes for its lead programs. ADCT’s first two programs, ADCT-301 and ADCT-402, are currently in four clinical studies in important sub-types of lymphoma and leukemia. ADCT anticipates its next two pipeline programs, both targeting solid tumour cancers, will commence clinical development later in 2016 and early in 2017, respectively. ADCT expects to have a total of six programs in clinical development within 18 months.

Dr. Chris Martin, the CEO of ADCT, said: “This financing acknowledges the progress ADCT has made with its pipeline of clinical and preclinical programs in areas of high unmet medical need. We are now extremely well positioned to support our lead programs through multiple expansion studies based on the efficacy signals that are emerging from our initial clinical trials. We continue to rapidly grow our pipeline of proprietary antibody-drug conjugates in important hematological and solid tumor indications both on our own and in partnerships. ”

About ADC Therapeutics
ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) was founded in 2012 by Auven Therapeutics who remains a significant investor. ADCT is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major types of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads via a chemical linker. Its lead programs, ADCT-301 and ADCT402, are in four Phase I clinical trials for certain subtypes of lymphoma and leukemia. ADCT enjoys strong relationships with world class partners, including Astrazeneca and its global biologics research and development arm, MedImmune; Genmab; and Cancer Research Technology. The Company is based in Lausanne, Switzerland and has operations in London, San Francisco and New Jersey (www.adctherapeutics.com).

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Doses First Patient in a Phase I Clinical Trial of ADCT-402 for Patients with B-cell lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

12 April 2016

 ADC Therapeutics Doses First Patient in a Phase I Clinical Trial of ADCT-402 for Patients with B-cell lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

• Trial to provide data on safety, tolerability, dosing and efficacy
• ADCT-402 also being investigated in a Phase I clinical trial in B-cell lineage non-Hodgkin lymphoma

Lausanne, Switzerland, April 12, 2016 – ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), the Swiss-based oncology drug development company, announces that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase I clinical trial to evaluate its antibody drug conjugate (ADC) ADCT-402 in patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia (B-ALL). ADCT-402 combines a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting CD19 with a highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warhead.

The two stage, open-label Phase Ia / Ib clinical trial is designed to evaluate the tolerability, safety and pharmacokinetics of ADCT-402, and is also expected to provide preliminary efficacy data in patients with relapsed or refractory B-ALL. The first stage (Phase Ia) is a dose escalation study which is planned to recruit up to 30 patients over ten clinical sites across the US and EU and will seek to determine the recommended dose of ADCT-402. The second stage (Phase Ib), which is planned to begin once an appropriate dose is identified, has the objective to confirm the safety, preliminary efficacy and tolerability profile at the selected dose. 

Dr. Jay Feingold, Chief Medical Officer and Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at ADCT, said: “This is our second Phase I clinical trial with ADCT-402. Our ADCT-402 Phase Ia study in B-cell lineage relapsed/refractory non-Hodgkin lymphoma began earlier last month. Dosing the first patient in this trial in a different indication is an important milestone for us and could pave the way for a better treatment regimen for patients with B-ALL. The trial is expected to give us data on safety, tolerability and dosing.” 

In preclinical in vitro studies ADCT-402 was shown to bind to and selectively inhibit the growth of a panel of CD19-expressing human cell lines, while its cytotoxicity was strongly reduced in CD19-negative cell lines, illustrating the specificity of ADCT-402. In preclinical in vivo studies ADCT-402 induced complete responses in xenograft models following single low dose administration.

Dr. Nitin Jain, Principal Investigator for the study and Assistant Professor of the Leukemia Department of the MD Anderson Cancer Center, said: “While advances have been made in treating patients with B-ALL, a common type of ALL, there are few options for relapsed/refractory patients and their prognosis remains poor. Having seen the effects of other ADCs in ALL, we are hopeful that ADCT-402 will show positive activity in patients with B-ALL.”

ADC Therapeutics now has four ongoing Phase Ia/Ib clinical trials for ADCT-402 and one other product candidate ADCT-301 in sub-types of lymphoma and leukemia and is actively recruiting patients for all four trials.

About Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Leukemia is a cancer of the bone marrow and blood and is classified according to cell type and rate of growth into four main groups: acute lymphoblastic (ALL), chronic lymphocytic (CLL), acute myeloid (AML) and chronic myeloid (CML). Acute lymphoblastic leukemia is a rapidly progressing cancer of the white blood cells, which accounts for approximately 20% of adult leukemia and for more than 80% of childhood leukemia cases. ALL is responsible for more than one quarter of all cancer in children. It develops rapidly, within a few days or a few weeks of the first symptoms. Relapsed and refractory ALL remains difficult to treat, with minimal improvement in outcomes seen despite advances in upfront therapy and improved survival for de novo ALL. According to cancer statistics, 6,250 new cases of ALL have been diagnosed in 2015 and 1,450 deaths occurred from ALL in the U.S.[1]

About ADCT-402

ADCT-402 is an antibody drug conjugate (ADC) composed of a humanized monoclonal antibody that binds to human CD19, conjugated through a linker to a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warhead. Once bound to a CD19-expresing cell, ADCT-402 is internalized into the cell where enzymes release the PBD-based warhead. CD19 is a clinically validated target for the treatment of certain CD19-expressing B-cell malignancies. The PBD-based warhead has the ability to form highly cytotoxic DNA interstrand cross-links, blocking cell division and resulting in cell death. ADCT-402 is being evaluated in two ongoing Phase Ia/Ib clinical trials in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell lineage non-Hodgkin lymphoma and relapsed or refractory B-cell lineage acute lymphoblastic leukemia.

About ADC Therapeutics

ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting major types of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted biopharmaceutical drugs that combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads via a chemical linker. Its lead programs, ADCT-301 and ADCT402, are in four Phase I clinical trials for certain subtypes of lymphoma and leukemia. ADCT has strong relationships with world class partners, including Astrazeneca/MedImmune, Genmab, and Cancer Research Technology. The Company is based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

[1] Cancer statistics from the National Cancer Institute, U.S.

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Doses First Patient in Phase I Trial of ADCT-402 in CD-19 Positive B-cell Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas

11 March 2016

Lausanne, Switzerland, London, UK and Murray Hill, New Jersey, US - DATE  – ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), the oncology drug development company, announces that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase I trial to evaluate its antibody drug conjugate (ADC) ADCT-402 in B-cell non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (B-NHL).

The two stage, open-label trial will evaluate the tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics and activity of ADCT-402 in patients with relapsed or refractory B-NHL. The first stage is a dose escalation phase which will recruit up to 30 patients at ten clinical sites across the US and EU and will seek to determine the recommended dose of ADCT-402 for the second stage.  The second stage, which will begin once an appropriate dose is identified, aims to confirm the safety and efficacy profile at the selected dose. 

ADCT-402 combines a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting the protein CD19 with a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) warhead. CD19 is a B-cell specific surface protein expressed throughout B-cell development. It is expressed on nearly all B-cell malignancies in many non-Hodgkin lymphomas. Due to its specificity, it has become an attractive target for ADC therapies. In preclinical in vivo models, ADCT-402 exhibited strong dose-dependent anti-tumor activity against CD19-positive leukemic and lymphoma cell lines at low single doses, and it outperformed other CD19 targeted ADCs currently in clinical development.

 B-cell non-Hodgkin Lymphoma is a common type of non-Hodgkin lymphoma, a cancer of the lymphatic system.  Non-Hodgkin Lymphomas overall are the 10^th most common cancer in the world.  In 2012, there were nearly 386,000 new cases diagnosed globally, with highest incidence rates reported in Northern America.

Dr. Jay Feingold, CMO and Senior Vice President of Clinical Development at ADC Therapeutics, said:

“Dosing the first patient in this trial with ADCT-402 is an important milestone for us and could pave the way for a better treatment regimen for patients.  The trial will give us vital data on safety, tolerability, dosing and efficacy over the next two years. 

Following our preclinical studies suggesting ADCT-402 may also provide significant clinical benefit for patients suffering from lymphoblastic leukemia, we are exploring this potential further with a second study in patients with relapsed and/or refractory B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia now also open for patient recruitment.”

Dr. Owen O’Connor, Principal Investigator for the study and Professor of Medicine and Experimental Therapeutics, and the Director of the Center for Lymphoid Malignancies at the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center, Columbia University Medical Center, said:

“Tremendous advances have been made in the treatment of non-Hodgkin Lymphoma in the past 20 years.  However, a significant portion of the patient population still fail to respond to currently available therapies.  Having seen the effects of other ADCs in various tumour types in recent years, we eagerly anticipate the results of this study.”

ADC Therapeutics currently has two PBD-based ADCs in four clinical trials, with a deep pipeline of other ADCs in preclinical development. More information regarding these trials can be found on clinicaltrials.gov.

END

Notes to Editors

About ADC Therapeutics (www.adctherapeutics.com)

ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary ADCs targeting major solid and hematological cancers. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads developed by Spirogen (a wholly-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca’s MedImmune). The Company’s ADCT-301 and ADCT-402 programs entered Phase I clinical development for lymphoma and leukemia in 2015. ADC Therapeutics has its head office in Lausanne, Switzerland, its R&D laboratories in London, UK, its clinical development team in New Jersey, USA, and its manufacturing team based in San Francisco, USA. 

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Doses First Patient in Phase I Trial of ADCT-301 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia

9 February 2016

Lausanne, Switzerland, London, UK and Murray Hill, New Jersey, US - 9 February 2016 – ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT), the oncology drug development company, announces that the first patient has been dosed in a Phase I trial to evaluate its lead antibody drug conjugate (ADC) ADCT-301 in Acute Myeloid Leukemia (AML).

The two stage, Phase l open-label trial will evaluate the tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics and activity of ADCT-301 in patients with relapsed or refractory CD-25 positive AML. The initial dose escalation phase will recruit up to 30 patients at ten clinical sites across the US and will seek to determine the recommended dose of ADCT-301 for the second stage. The second stage, which will begin once an appropriate dose is identified, will be expanded into the UK and Europe with the recruitment of up to 30 additional patients.

ADCT-301 is composed of HuMax®-TAC, a monoclonal antibody directed against CD25 (the alpha chain of the IL-2 receptor) conjugated to ADCT’s highly potent proprietary pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) dimer. In preclinical in vivo models, ADCT-301 exhibited strong dose-dependent anti-tumor activity against CD25-positive cell lines at single low doses.

Professor Martin Tallman, Principle Investigator of the trial and Chief of the Leukemia Service at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York, said: “Acute myeloid leukemia is the most common leukemia in the US adult population and the prognosis is poor. Patients expressing CD25 on their leukemia cells have a particularly poor prognosis.

ADCT-301 has shown promise in in vivo studies and we believe that this important trial could help us to improve patient outcomes.”

Dr Chris Martin, CEO of ADC Therapeutics, added: “Dosing the first patient in this trial with ADCT- 301 is an important milestone for the Company. We look forward to the progress of this trial over the coming year and to accelerating the clinical development of our ADC pipeline.”

ADC Therapeutics currently has two PBD-based ADCs in four clinical trials, with four other ADCs in late preclinical development and further ADCs in research.

ENDS

Notes to Editors

About ADC Therapeutics (www.adctherapeutics.com)

ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary ADCs targeting major solid and hematological cancers. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens present on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. The Company has access to warhead and linker chemistries via agreements with Spirogen (a wholly-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca’s MedImmune). It is progressing eleven ADC programs, one of these under a joint development agreement with MedImmune. During 2015 ADCT-301 and ADCT-402 entered Phase I for lymphoma and leukemia. ADC Therapeutics has its head office in Lausanne, Switzerland and has its R&D laboratories in London, UK, its clinical development team in New Jersey, USA, and its manufacturing team based in San Francisco, USA.

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Announces Positive Pre-clinical Results for Two of its Novel ADCs at the American Society of Hematology Conference

5 December 2015

Lausanne, Switzerland, London, UK and Murray Hill, New Jersey, US – 5 December 2015

– ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), the oncology drug development company, today presented pre-clinical results for both ADCT-301 and ADCT-402, its novel Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) in hematological tumours at the 57th American Society of Hematology (ASH) Annual Meeting, December 5-8, in Orlando, Florida. ADCT-301 is currently in Phase I for lymphoma and leukemia. Yesterday ADCT announced that it has received IND clearance from the FDA to begin two Phase I clinical trials with ADCT-402 in hematological tumors.

ADCT-301 combines HuMax®-TAC, a human monoclonal antibody targeting CD25 (the alpha chain of the IL-2 receptor) created by Genmab A/S, with a dimeric pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) warhead. The data confirm the mechanism of action of ADCT-301 and provide relevant pharmacodynamic assays for use in clinical development.

ADCT-402 is an anti-CD19 PBD-conjugate, with presented data demonstrating potent and specific in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor activity against CD19-positive hematological tumors as well as excellent tolerability.

Dr Patrick van Berkel, Senior Vice President Research & Development at ADC Therapeutics, said: “We are highly encouraged by these data which demonstrate the potential of ADCT-301 and ADCT-402. As we continue development, early indications are that our PBD-based ADCs could offer superior efficacy with a reduced resistance profile for the treatment of hematological tumors.”

The pre-clinical studies referenced above were conducted jointly by ADC Therapeutics, Spirogen (a division of AstraZeneca) and University College London, London.

- ENDS -

Notes to Editors

About ADC Therapeutics (www.adctherapeutics.com)

ADC Therapeutics Sarl (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major solid and hematological cancers. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. The Company has access to warhead and linker chemistries via agreements with Spirogen (a wholly-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca’s MedImmune). It is progressing eleven ADC programs, two of these under a joint development agreement with MedImmune. Its lead program, ADCT-301 for lymphoma entered Phase I in mid 2015.

ADC Therapeutics has its head office in Lausanne, Switzerland and through subsidiaries has its R&D laboratories in London, UK, its clinical development team in New Jersey, USA, and its manufacturing team based in San Francisco, USA. With its industry leading management team and board of directors, ADC Therapeutics is a leader in the development of PBD-based ADCs.

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Receives FDA Clearance to Begin Clinical Studies for its Second Novel Antibody Conjugate ADCT-402 against Lymphomas and Leukemia

4 December 2015

Lausanne, Switzerland, London, UK and Murray Hill, New Jersey, US – 4 December 2015

– ADC Therapeutics SA (ADCT or the “Company”), the oncology drug development company focused on Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs), today announced that it has received clearance from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to begin clinical trials with ADCT-402, a novel antibody drug conjugate targeting CD19, a cell-surface antigen, which is over-expressed in many patients with B-cell non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL) and B-cell Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia (ALL). ADCT plans to initiate Phase I clinical trials in both NHL and ALL.

ADCT-402 combines a humanized monoclonal antibody targeting CD19 with a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) warhead. In preclinical in vivo models, ADCT-402 exhibited strong dose-dependent anti-tumor activity against CD19-positive leukemic and lymphoma cell lines at low single doses, and it outperformed other CD19 targeted ADCs currently in clinical development.

The first of the Phase I clinical trials for patients with B-cell NHL will commence at eight leading oncology centres in the USA and two centres in the United Kingdom. The initial study will evaluate the tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics and antitumor activity of ADCT-402 in patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell NHL. Subject to study results, ADCT intends to rapidly expand the numbers of patients in the trial and expand the number of participating clinical centres.

Dr. Owen O’Connor, Professor of Medicine and Experimental Therapeutics, and the Director of the Center for Lymphoid Malignancies, and Co-Program Director of the Lymphoid Development and Malignancy Program in the Herbert Irving Comprehensive Cancer Center at Columbia University Medical Center, is the Principal Investigator for this Phase I study.

Dr. O’Connor said: “There is significant unmet medical need for patients with relapsed or refractory disease in B-cell NHL. An ADC targeting CD19 with a potent PBD warhead, is a sensible approach in this difficult to treat population. We are delighted to be working with ADC Therapeutics to bring this potential treatment to patients.”

The second study, a Phase 1 trial for patients with relapsed or refractory B-cell ALL will commence simultaneously at 10 centres in the USA and EU to evaluate the tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics and anti-tumor activity of ADCT-402 in this patient population. Dr. Nitin Jain, Assistant Professor in the Leukemia Department at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston, Texas, is the Principal Investigator for this Phase 1 study said: “We have made significant strides treating patients with B-Cell ALL but we are still seeking new treatment modalities to improve the prognosis for patients. We are excited to working with ADC Therapeutics on this program.”

Dr. Jay M. Feingold, Senior Vice President and Chief Medical Officer at ADC Therapeutics said: “This is the second ADC we have advanced into clinical development in the past eight months. Preclinical data suggests that ADCT-402 may have significant activity against B-cell NHL and ALL and we are pleased to progress our pipeline by beginning these two clinical studies and, hopefully, to bring significant benefit to patients with these diseases.”

- ENDS -

Notes to Editors

About ADC Therapeutics (www.adctherapeutics.com)

ADC Therapeutics Sarl (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major solid and hematological cancers. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. The Company has access to warhead and linker chemistries via agreements with Spirogen (a wholly-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca’s MedImmune). It is progressing eleven ADC programs, two of these under a joint development agreement with MedImmune. Its lead program, ADCT-301 for lymphoma entered Phase I in mid 2015.

ADC Therapeutics has its head office in Lausanne, Switzerland and through subsidiaries has its R&D laboratories in London, UK, its clinical development team in New Jersey, USA, and its manufacturing team based in San Francisco, USA. With its industry leading management team and board of directors, ADC Therapeutics is a leader in the development of PBD-based ADCs.

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Announces Expanded Board with Appointment of Highly Experienced Non-Executive Directors

28 September 2015

Dr Hans-Peter Wild and Jacques Theurillat join the Board

Lausanne, Switzerland, London, UK and Murray Hill, New Jersey, US - 28 September 2015

– ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), the oncology drug development company focused on Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced that Dr Hans-Peter Wild and Jacques Theurillat have been appointed to its Board of Directors as Non-Executive Directors. The appointments follow ADCT’s recent $80m financing and further strengthens ADCT’s board as it matures as a Company.

Dr Wild is the owner and Chairman of the Wild Group and has built multiple global businesses, including Wild Flavours GmbH; one of the world’s leading producers and suppliers of natural ingredients for the food and drink industry, a global consumer goods business under the CapriSun® brand, and a processing units manufacturer for the food and drink industry. Dr Wild has an Honours degree in Law from the University of Heidelberg and gained his doctorate from the Faculty of Law at the University of Mannheim. He also holds a Master in Business Administration from the University of Mannheim and is an Honorary Senator of the University of Heidelberg.

As an independent Non Executive Director, Mr Theurillat brings to the Board extensive experience in strategy development, finance and commercial operations. He has been CEO of Ares Life Sciences AG and previously served as CEO and Chairman of Albea Pharmaceuticals AG. He also had an extensive career at Serono, which spanned roles such as Chief Financial Officer, Deputy Chief Executive Officer and Senior Executive Vice President, Strategic Corporate Development. Mr Theurillat holds Bachelor of Law Degrees from Madrid University and Geneva University, a Master’s Degree in Finance from Centro Estudios Financieros, Madrid and a Swiss Federal Tax Expert Diploma.

Dr Chris Martin, CEO of ADCT, said: “We have made rapid progress since our formation just three years ago and, as we invest in the development of our significant pipeline of ADC therapeutics, it is important that we expand our board to help steer the Company forwards. Jacques and Hans-Peter bring very considerable experience to the board and we welcome their strategic insight, and commercial and financial experience.”

Dr Martin joined the Company full time as its CEO in June, having played a key role in the Company’s formation and strategy as a member of its Board of Directors since the Company’s founding in 2012. Previously Dr. Martin served as CEO of Spirogen and was a member of MedImmune’s Leadership Team.

The other members of the Board of ADC Therapeutics are: Dr. Peter B. Corr (Chairman), Stephen Evans-Freke, Michael Forer (Messrs. Corr, Evans-Freke, and Forer of founding investor Auven Therapeutics), Dr Bahija Jallal (Executive Vice President of AstraZeneca and head of MedImmune), and independent Non-Executive Director Dr Barrie Ward (former CEO of Kudos).

-ENDS-

About ADC Therapeutics (www.adctherapeutics.com)

ADC Therapeutics Sarl (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major solid and hematological cancers. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. The Company has access to warhead and linker chemistries via agreements with Spirogen (a wholly-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca’s MedImmune). It is progressing eleven ADC programs, two of these under a joint development agreement with MedImmune. Its lead program, ADCT-301 for lymphoma entered Phase I in mid 2015.

ADCT was established in 2012 by private equity firm Auven Therapeutics. In 2013, AstraZeneca acquired an equity stake in the Company and entered into a corporate partnership for two ADC programs. It is located in Lausanne, Switzerland, and utilizes laboratory facilities at Queen Mary Bioenterprises Innovation Centre, London, UK. ADCT has manufacturing and clinical studies managed from its US offices in San Francisco and New Jersey.

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Secures $80m Financing to Progress its Pipeline of Antibody Drug Conjugate Therapeutics in Oncology

2 September 2015

Lausanne, Switzerland and London, UK and Murray Hill, New Jersey, US, 2 September 2015

– ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), an oncology drug discovery and development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced that it has raised $80 million through a private placement of equity. New investors include leading European and US-based investors alongside founding investor Auven Therapeutics and participation from AstraZeneca.

The proceeds will be used to progress ADCT’s product portfolio, including ADCT-301 for lymphoma and leukemia now in Phase I and a collaboration to develop up to two ADCs for commercialisation with MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca. ADCT’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens on particular tumor cells with highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. ADCT anticipates having seven drug candidates in human clinical trials in 2017.

ADCT was established in 2012 by private equity firm Auven Therapeutics. In 2013, AstraZeneca/MedImmune acquired an equity stake in the Company and entered into a collaboration for two ADC programs.

The Company has built and will be expanding its highly experienced R&D team in the UK, as well as legal, finance and EU clinical teams in Switzerland, and regulatory, clinical and manufacturing teams in the US. ADCT works closely with a number of specialist partners in Europe and the US for regulatory, clinical trial management and manufacturing activities.

Dr. Chris Martin, a recognised leader in the ADC space, joined ADCT fulltime in June of this year as Chief Executive Officer, having played a key role in the formation and strategy of ADCT as a member of its Board of Directors. Previously Dr. Martin served as CEO of Spirogen and was a member of MedImmune’s Leadership Team.

Commenting on the financing, Dr Martin said: “The significant advances we have made in progressing our pipeline of ADCs have been recognized by this financing round. In a major milestone for the Company, our first ADC candidate drug entered the clinic earlier this year and we are on track to file for our second IND with the FDA by the end of October.”

Dr. Peter B. Corr, Chairman of the Board of ADCT and co-founder and Managing General Partner of Auven Therapeutics added: “The quality of investors we have been able to attract and the size of this investment round, just over three years since the Company was founded, is a great endorsement of our strategy and potential. This financing provides the funds required to aggressively develop our pipeline of proprietary ADCs with best-in-class PBD-based warheads and linkers as an important part of the next-generation of cancer drugs, with the potential to impact cancer patients worldwide.”

The Company was advised by Dr. Christoph Ladanyi, co-founder and Managing Director of BLMS Capital, and its corporate legal counsel Homburger.

- ENDS -

Notes to Editors

About ADC Therapeutics (www.adctherapeutics.com)

ADC Therapeutics Sarl (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major solid and hematological cancers. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. The Company has access to warhead and linker chemistries via agreements with Spirogen (a wholly-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca’s MedImmune). It is progressing eleven ADC programs, two of these under a joint development agreement with MedImmune. Its lead program, ADCT-301 for lymphoma entered Phase I in mid 2015.

ADCT was established in 2012 by private equity firm Auven Therapeutics. In 2013, AstraZeneca acquired an equity stake in the Company and entered into a corporate partnership for two ADC programs. It is located in Lausanne, Switzerland, and utilizes laboratory facilities at Queen Mary Bioenterprises Innovation Centre, London, UK. ADCT has manufacturing and clinical studies managed from its US offices in San Francisco and New Jersey.

About Auven Therapeutics (www.auventx.com)

Auven Therapeutics is a global private equity firm that acquires and pursues accelerated development of breakthrough therapeutic drugs prior to licensing them to commercial partners. Auven’s in-house team of senior pharmaceutical development executives establishes the clinical regulatory, manufacturing and commercial strategies for all its products and oversees their execution. Auven was founded in 2007 by Stephen Evans-Freke and Dr. Peter B. Corr and maintains operations in Lausanne, Ft. Lauderdale, Bermuda, and the US Virgin Islands.

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Appoints Dr. Chris Martin as Chief Executive Officer

22 June 2015

Lausanne, Switzerland and London, UK, 22 June 2015

– ADC Therapeutics Sarl (the Company or ADCT), the oncology research and development company focused on Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced the appointment of Dr. Chris Martin as its Chief Executive Officer.

Dr. Martin was co-founder of Spirogen Ltd and its Chief Executive Officer leading up to the sale of Spirogen to MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca in October 2013 for $440 million in upfront and deferred consideration. Dr. Martin continued as CEO of Spirogen, and became both a member of Medimmune’s Management Leadership Team and AstraZeneca’s Senior Leaders Group. Dr. Martin will continue to advise Medimmune as a consultant.

Dr. Martin played an important role in the formation of ADC Therapeutics in 2012, and has served on its board of directors since its founding. He is a recognised leader in the Antibody Drug Conjugates space, and his leadership of Spirogen led to Spirogen being awarded the Best Scientific Innovation Award in 2014 and Dr Martin being voted by industry peers the winner of the overall ‘Individual Input to the Industry in 2013/2014’ at the World ADC Awards.

Dr. Martin replaces Michael Forer who has served as CEO of the Company since its formation. Mr. Forer is a Partner in the private equity firm Auven Therapeutics and was the lead investor on behalf of Auven for its majority investments in both Spirogen Ltd and ADC Therapeutics. Mr. Forer becomes Vice Chairman of ADC Therapeutics, and will continue to work with the Company as Executive Vice President focused on its public markets capital strategy, business and finance activities.

Dr. Peter B. Corr, Chairman of the Board of ADCT and co-founder and Managing General Partner of Auven Therapeutics, said: “Chris played an important role together with Michael Forer in the founding of ADC Therapeutics, and its business plan to develop proprietary PBD-based ADCs under license from Spirogen. He has contributed significantly to the business both as a board member and shareholder, and we are delighted that he has now joined the Company as CEO as we move forward with 7 PBD-based ADCs into clinical development over the next two years. We believe that PBD-based ADCs are the next-generation of cancer drugs with the potential to make a large impact on cancer patients worldwide.”

Dr. Martin said: “The Company is entering an exciting phase of clinical development, having recently filed its first IND for a clinical trial in lymphoma and its second IND to be filed later this year. Michael has been an important supporter to the success of both Spirogen and ADC Therapeutics, and I thank him for his leadership to-date. I look forward to working even more closely with the ADCT team as well as with our investors and collaborators, to realize the potential of our ADC drugs.”

- ENDS -

Notes to Editors

About ADC Therapeutics (www.adctherapeutics.com)

ADC Therapeutics Sarl (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major solid and hematological cancers. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. The Company has access to warhead and linker chemistries via agreements with Spirogen (a wholly-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca’s MedImmune). It is progressing eleven ADC programs, two of these under a joint development agreement with MedImmune. Its lead program, ADCT-301 for lymphoma entered Phase I in mid 2015.

ADCT was established in 2012 by private equity firm Auven Therapeutics. In 2013, AstraZeneca acquired an equity stake in the Company and entered into a corporate partnership for two ADC programs. It is located in Lausanne, Switzerland, and utilizes laboratory facilities at Queen Mary Bioenterprises Innovation Centre, London, UK. ADCT has manufacturing and clinical studies managed from its US offices in San Francisco and New Jersey.

About Auven Therapeutics (www.auventx.com)

Auven Therapeutics is a global private equity firm that acquires and pursues accelerated development of breakthrough therapeutic drugs prior to licensing them to commercial partners. Auven’s in-house team of senior pharmaceutical development executives establishes the clinical regulatory, manufacturing and commercial strategies for all its products and oversees their execution. Auven was founded in 2007 by Stephen Evans-Freke and Dr. Peter B. Corr and maintains operations in Lausanne, Ft. Lauderdale, Bermuda, and the US Virgin Islands.

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Presented Positive Pre-clinical Activity of its Novel Anti-CD22 Antibody-Drug Conjugate at the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting

19 April 2015

Lausanne, Switzerland and London, UK, April 19 2015 – ADC Therapeutics (ADCT) today presented the following abstract: "Pre-clinical Activity of hLL2-PBD, a Novel Anti-CD22 Antibody-Pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) Conjugate in Models of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma" at the 2015 American Association for Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA.

Highlights of the data presented include:

- Potent and specific in vitro and in vivo anti-tumor activity of hLL2-PBD against CD22-positive hematological tumors

- Remarkably superior in vivo anti-tumor efficacy compared to the Genentech anti-CD22 ADC Hu10F4-vcMMAE

- Favorable pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of hLL2-PBD in mice.

Commenting on the results, Dr Patrick van Berkel, Senior Vice President Research & Development at ADC Therapeutics said "The fact that our ADC showed superior in vivo anti-tumour efficacy to Hu10F4-vcMMAE is highly encouraging. PBD dimers represent a novel class of toxin, which bind DNA in the minor groove and form highly cytotoxic interstrand cross-links, offering the potential to not only enhance the efficacy of ADCs, but also to reduce resistance to ADCs with different payloads."

The study was conducted jointly by ADC Therapeutics, Spirogen (a division of AstraZeneca) and University College London, London.

Download the PDF of the Pre-clinical Activity of hLL2-PBD poster.

Notes to Editors

About ADC Therapeutics (www.adctherapeutics.com)

ADC Therapeutics Sàrl (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major solid and hematological cancers. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. The Company has access to warhead and linkers chemistries via agreements with Spirogen (a wholly-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca’s MedImmune). It is progressing eleven ADC programs, two of these under a joint development agreement with MedImmune.

ADCT was established in 2012 by private equity firm Auven Therapeutics. In 2013, AstraZeneca acquired an equity stake in the Company and entered into a corporate partnership for two ADC programs. The Company has more than $100 million in committed capital to develop its pipeline of proprietary antibody drug conjugates. It is located in Lausanne, Switzerland, and utilizes laboratory facilities at Queen Mary Bioenterprises Innovation Centre, London, UK. For more information please contact:

Media enquiries: Instinctif Partners Sue Charles/ Gemma Howe T: +44 (0)20 7866 7866 ADCTherapeutics@instinctif.com

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Submits its First IND For a Novel Antibody Drug Conjugate Against Lymphomas

16 March 2015

Lausanne, Switzerland and London, UK, 16 March 2015

– ADC Therapeutics Sarl (the “Company”), the oncology drug development company focused on Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs), today announced that it has filed an Investigational New Drug application (IND) with the US Food and Drug Administration as it moves its pipeline into clinical development. The IND is for a Phase I clinical trial for ADCT-301, a novel antibody drug conjugate targeting CD25, a cell-surface antigen, which is over-expressed in many patients with lymphomas.

The Phase I clinical trial will commence at four leading oncology centres in the USA, and can expand into two centres in the United Kingdom. The initial up to 58 patient adaptive designed dose-escalation study, will evaluate the tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics and antitumor activity of ADCT-301 in patients with relapsed or refractory Hodgkin’s and Non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Subject to study results, ADC Therapeutics intends to rapidly expand the numbers of patients in the trial and the participating clinical centres.

ADCT-301 combines HuMax®-TAC™, a monoclonal antibody targeting CD25 (the alpha chain of the IL-2 receptor) created by Genmab A/S, with a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) warhead. In preclinical in vivo models, ADCT-301 exhibited strong dose-dependent anti-tumor activity against CD25-positive cell lines at low single doses. It also outperformed AdcetrisTM (brentuximab vedotin), an ADC approved for treatment of Hodgkin’s lymphoma and systemic anaplastic large cell lymphoma, in animal models. In preclinical studies the PBD warhead has been shown to be a highly potent killer of cancer cells even when such cancer cells are resistant to current best therapies.

Dr. Steven M. Horwitz, Medical Oncologist at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City, is the Principal Investigator for the Phase I study. Dr. Horwitz said: “There is significant unmet medical need for patients with relapsed or refractory disease in Hodgkin’s and non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. An ADC targeting CD25, which is widely expressed in lymphomas, is a very rational therapeutic approach and could have very broad activity. We are delighted to be working with ADC Therapeutics to bring this potential treatment to patients.”

Michael Forer, Chief Executive Officer of ADC Therapeutics said: “The filing of our first IND is a significant milestone for ADC Therapeutics. We are delighted to be working with Memorial Sloan Kettering and other leading clinical centers. We believe this is a significant endorsement of the prospects for ADCT-301. In addition, we expect to file four more INDs with additional proprietary ADCs over the next two years as we continue to build our clinical pipeline.”

ADC Therapeutics has a license to the PBD warheads from Spirogen now owned by MedImmune, and the HuMax®-TAC™ antibody was developed by Genmab under license from Medarex. In June 2013, Genmab and ADC Therapeutics entered into a Collaboration and License Agreement for the development of ADCT-301, and Genmab holds a 25% ownership share in ADCT-301. No other financial terms were disclosed.

- ENDS -

Notes to Editors

About ADC Therapeutics (www.adctherapeutics.com)

ADC Therapeutics Sarl (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major solid and hematological cancers. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. The Company has access to warhead and linker chemistries via agreements with Spirogen (a wholly-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca’s MedImmune). It is progressing eleven ADC programs, two of these under a joint development agreement with MedImmune. Its lead program, ADCT-301 for lymphoma entered Phase I in mid 2015.

ADCT was established in 2012 by private equity firm Auven Therapeutics. In 2013, AstraZeneca acquired an equity stake in the Company and entered into a corporate partnership for two ADC programs. It is located in Lausanne, Switzerland, and utilizes laboratory facilities at Queen Mary Bioenterprises Innovation Centre, London, UK. ADCT has manufacturing and clinical studies managed from its US offices in San Francisco and New Jersey.

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Expands Team

30 September 2014

Lausanne, Switzerland and London, UK, 30 September, 2014

ADC Therapeutics (ADCT, a portfolio company of Auven Therapeutics) the oncology drug development company focused on Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, today announced a significant expansion of its team as the Company’s first ADCs enter clinical development.

New team members include:

Dr Jay Feingold joins as Chief Medical Officer and Head of Oncology Clinical Development. Dr Feingold has more than 25 years of industry, academic and medical experience and was most recently Vice President, US Medical Affairs and Chairman Global Medical Affairs Oversight Committee at Daiichi Sankyo. Prior to this, he served as Vice President of Clinical Development, Global Therapy Area Director, Oncology at Wyeth.

Dr Michael Mulkerrin joins as Head of CMC (Chemistry Manufacturing and Control). Dr Mulkerrin has more than 20 years of industry experience in biologics manufacturing, most recently as Vice President, Process Development and Manufacturing at OncoMed and has had prior senior roles at Abgenix, Amgen and Genentech.

Dr Simon Chivers joins as Head of Toxicology. Dr. Chivers has more than 15 years of industry experience, most recently as Global Head Biologics Safety Assessment and Executive Director at Novartis and has had prior senior roles at AstraZeneca, Syngenta and Quintiles.

Dr Lisa Skelton joins as Senior Project Manager for ADCT’s lead program ADCT-301 which is scheduled to enter clinical development in early 2015. Dr. Skelton has over 20 years of industry experience, most recently as Associate Director, Programme Management at Norgine and Senior Program Manager at Amgen.

Dr Karin Havenith joins as Senior Bioanalytical Scientist to head ADCT’s bioanalytical group. Dr. Havenith was Principal Scientist at J&J Janssen Crucell and Principal Scientist at Genmab where she specialized in the development of bioanalytical assays for antibody therapeutics.

Dr Francesca Zammarchi joins the scientific team as Cancer Biologist, having spent eight years as a Research Associate in the Molecular Pharmacology and Chemistry Department of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, New York.

Ms. Dulce Gonçalves joins to serve as Corporate Counsel. Ms Gonçalves has over 12 years experience in pharmaceutical law and was most recently Senior Legal Counsel, Global Product Strategy and Commercialization, at Novartis.

Mr. Stéphane Henchoz joins as Director of Finance, bringing more than 20 years pharmaceutical industry finance experience, most recently working at Merck Serono.

Michael Forer, Chief Executive Officer of ADC Therapeutics, said: “The quality of individuals and depth of experience that we have been able to attract demonstrates the significant potential for our PBD-based ADCs. This expansion underlines the progress we have made since the Company was established in early 2012. We continue to advance our pipeline of programs into clinical development with our lead program, ADCT-301, scheduled to enter clinical development in early 2015.”

Dr. Peter B. Corr, Chairman of the Board and co-founder and Managing General Partner of ADCT’s founding majority investor, Auven Therapeutics, added “ADCs are an important class of the next-generation of cancer drugs, and with our best in class PBD warheads and linkers these agents should have a profound impact for patients with cancer. With the addition over the last year of AstraZeneca, as both an investor in and corporate partner of ADCT, the Company is well funded, and with these new personnel now has a world class team in place to support our plan of having multiple proprietary ADCs in clinical development over the coming two years.”

Notes to Editors

ADC Therapeutics sarl (ADCT) is a Swiss-based oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers such as breast lung, prostate, renal and blood. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to particular types of tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. As its PBD-based chemistries do not distort the structure of the DNA it gives the prospect of highly potent, target-selective cancer therapies with fewer side effects and the potential to pre-empt resistance issues faced by other anti-cancer products on the market. The company was formed in 2012 with a $50m commitment from private equity firm Auven Therapeutics (previously known as Celtic Therapeutics). ADCT has a strategic collaboration with Spirogen Ltd, also an Auven Therapeutics’ portfolio company, for the supply of warhead chemistries and R&D services. It operates a virtual business model based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

About ADC Therapeutics (www.adctherapeutics.com)

ADC Therapeutics (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers such as breast, lung, prostate, renal and blood. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to particular types of tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. The Company has access to warhead and linkers chemistries via agreements with Spirogen (a wholly-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca’s MedImmune). It is progressing eleven ADC programs, two of these under a joint development agreement with MedImmune.

ADCT was established in 2012 by private equity firm Auven Therapeutics. In 2013, AstraZeneca acquired an equity stake in the Company and entered into a corporate partnership for two ADC programs. ADCT has more than $100 million in committed capital to develop its pipeline of proprietary antibody drug conjugates.

About pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) warhead technology

PBDs have been shown by researchers at a number of pharmaceutical companies to be dramatically more efficacious than first generation warhead chemistries in a wide range of preclinical models of different tumor types. In 2013 ADCT and Spirogen published data showing that the Herceptin monoclonal antibody conjugated with a PBD warhead yields a large proportion of Complete Responses in HER2-positive cancer models, including low HER2-expressers. In contrast, the first generation ADC-targeting HER2, now approved for refractory HER2-positive breast cancer, only slows tumor cell growth in these models although significantly longer than stand-alone Herceptin. Seattle Genetics announced the filing of an IND on its first PBD-warheaded ADC, developed under a license from Spirogen, in 2013, and recently stated they intended to file an IND on a second PBD-warheaded ADC this year.

About Auven Therapeutics (www.auventx.com)

Auven Therapeutics is a global private equity firm that acquires and pursues accelerated development of breakthrough therapeutic drugs prior to licensing them to commercial partners. Auven’s in-house team of senior pharmaceutical development executives establish the clinical, regulatory, manufacturing and commercial strategies for all its products and oversees their execution. Auven was founded in 2007 by Stephen Evans-Freke and Dr. Peter B. Corr, and maintains operations in Lausanne, London, New York, Bermuda, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics to Move Antibody Drug Conjugate ADCT-401 for Prostate Cancer into Human Clinical Trials with Partner MedImmune

19 May 2014

ADC Therapeutics to Move Antibody Drug Conjugate ADCT-401 for Prostate Cancer into Human Clinical Trials with Partner MedImmune

Lausanne, Switzerland and London, UK, May 19 2014 – ADC Therapeutics (ADCT), an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers, announced today that it has selected its first IND candidate under its joint development agreement with MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca.

This follows the October 2013 announcement in which MedImmune entered into a collaboration agreement with ADC Therapeutics to jointly develop two of ADCT’s antibody-drug conjugate programs in preclinical development.

ADCT-401 targets Prostate-Specific Membrane Antigen (PSMA) a cell-surface antigen specifically expressed by prostate cancer cells. ADCT-401 comprises an anti-PSMA monoclonal antibody coupled with a pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) warhead using a proprietary linker licensed from London-based Spirogen, a wholly owned subsidiary of MedImmune. Initial clinical studies will focus on hormone-refractory prostate cancer and an IND filing is anticipated in 2015.

“We are excited by the preclinical efficacy data we have seen with ADCT-401 in a number of in vivo models of prostate cancer. These data have encouraged us to continue development of this unique ADC for the treatment of refractory prostate cancer. ADCT-401 was constructed and tested by the joint ADCT and Spirogen teams, and we are very pleased with the outcome,” said Dr. Peter B. Corr, Chairman of ADCT and Co-Founder and Managing General Partner of Auven Therapeutics, the private equity firm behind the formation of ADCT and its majority shareholder.

The PSMA-specific J591 antibody in ADCT-401 was developed by Dr. Neil H. Bander, the Bernard & Josephine Chaus Professor of Urologic Oncology and Director of Urological Oncology Research at the Weill-Cornell Medical College, New York. Dr. Bander is also Chairman of ADCT’s Scientific Advisory Board. PSMA is a cell-surface antigen expressed by virtually all prostate cancer cells, including metastases, and also in the blood vessels that feed many other tumor types, but is rarely expressed in normal cells.

“PSMA is an ideal target for an ADC therapeutic strategy because it is unparalleled in its prostate cancer specificity, its high density of expression and its very efficient internalization,” said Dr. Neil Bander. “If the preclinical efficacy and safety studies translate into the clinic, ADCT-401 has the potential to be a breakthrough therapy in the treatment of advanced, refractory prostate cancers. I am delighted that the ADCT and MedImmune teams have combined their efforts to advance it into patients as quickly as possible,” he added.

This will be ADCT’s second ADC program into the clinic from its pipeline of eleven programs with an IND filing expected in the first of these programs by the end of this year.

“We are optimistic that continued investigations of ADCT-401 in patients with prostate cancer will deliver the results we expect. The program is a testament to the close teamwork, commitment to scientific excellence and sense of urgency shared between the MedImmune and ADC Therapeutics teams on this project,” said Stephen Evans-Freke, Co-founder and Managing General Partner of Auven Therapeutics.

The pre-clinical development of ADCT-401 is being managed by a team of scientists based in laboratories at the Queen Mary Bioenterprises Innovation Centre, London which, being co-located with Spirogen, enables close co-operation between the two groups.

Notes to Editors

ADC Therapeutics sarl (ADCT) is a Swiss-based oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers such as breast lung, prostate, renal and blood. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to particular types of tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. As its PBD-based chemistries do not distort the structure of the DNA it gives the prospect of highly potent, target-selective cancer therapies with fewer side effects and the potential to pre-empt resistance issues faced by other anti-cancer products on the market. The company was formed in 2012 with a $50m commitment from private equity firm Auven Therapeutics (previously known as Celtic Therapeutics). ADCT has a strategic collaboration with Spirogen Ltd, also an Auven Therapeutics’ portfolio company, for the supply of warhead chemistries and R&D services. It operates a virtual business model based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

About ADC Therapeutics (www.adctherapeutics.com)

ADC Therapeutics (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers such as breast, lung, prostate, renal and blood. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to particular types of tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. The Company has access to warhead and linkers chemistries via agreements with Spirogen (a wholly-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca’s MedImmune). It is progressing eleven ADC programs, two of these under a joint development agreement with MedImmune.

ADCT was launched in 2012 with a $50m commitment from private equity firm Auven Therapeutics, which retained majority ownership. In 2013 AstraZeneca took an equity stake in the Company, investing $20 million. The Company is located in Lausanne, Switzerland with the scientific team leading the drug development programs is based in laboratories at Queen Mary Bioenterprises Innovation Centre, London, UK.

About pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) warhead technology

PBDs have been shown by researchers at a number of pharmaceutical companies to be dramatically more efficacious than first generation warhead chemistries in a wide range of preclinical models of different tumor types. In 2013 ADCT and Spirogen published data showing that the Herceptin monoclonal antibody conjugated with a PBD warhead yields a large proportion of Complete Responses in HER2-positive cancer models, including low HER2-expressers. In contrast, the first generation ADC-targeting HER2, now approved for refractory HER2-positive breast cancer, only slows tumor cell growth in these models although significantly longer than stand-alone Herceptin. Seattle Genetics announced the filing of an IND on its first PBD-warheaded ADC, developed under a license from Spirogen, in 2013, and recently stated they intended to file an IND on a second PBD-warheaded ADC this year.

About Auven Therapeutics (www.auventx.com)

Auven Therapeutics is a global private equity firm that acquires and pursues accelerated development of breakthrough therapeutic drugs prior to licensing them to commercial partners. Auven’s in-house team of senior pharmaceutical development executives establish the clinical, regulatory, manufacturing and commercial strategies for all its products and oversees their execution. Auven was founded in 2007 by Stephen Evans-Freke and Dr. Peter B. Corr, and maintains operations in Lausanne, London, New York, Bermuda, and the U.S. Virgin Islands.

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Licenses Proprietary Antibodies from Five Prime Therapeutics

5 November 2013

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND and SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, CA, USA – November 5 2013

– ADC Therapeutics Sarl (‘ADC Therapeutics’), a portfolio company of Auven Therapeutics and the oncology drug development company specializing in proprietary antibody drug conjugates (‘ADCs’), and Five Prime Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: FPRX), a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing novel protein therapeutics for cancer and inflammatory diseases, today announced an exclusive license agreement for human antibodies directed to an undisclosed target expressed on the surface of various types of cancers.

Under the agreement, ADC Therapeutics plans to initiate preclinical research and development of antibody-drug conjugates using the antibodies licensed from Five Prime immediately, adding to ADC Therapeutics’ portfolio of proprietary ADC programs. ADC Therapeutics’ unique platform combines monoclonal antibodies specific to particular types of tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. As ADC Therapeutics’ PBD-based chemistries do not distort the structure of the DNA they give the prospect of highly potent, target-selective cancer therapies with fewer side effects and the potential to pre-empt resistance issues faced by other anti-cancer products on the market.

Dr. Peter B. Corr, Chairman of ADC Therapeutics and Managing General Partner of Auven Therapeutics, said: “We believe that ADCs offer a great opportunity to develop next generation oncology drugs that are more efficacious and with less side effects. The partnership with Five Prime further extends our exciting development portfolio of novel ADCs and we look forward to rapidly progressing the development plans.”

“ADC Therapeutics is a leader in developing proprietary antibody-drug conjugates targeting major cancers such as breast, lung, prostate, renal and blood,” said Lewis T. “Rusty” Williams, M.D., Ph.D., President and CEO of Five Prime. “We believe that antibodies directed toward this protein target, which is found on a variety of tumor types, will be most efficacious when armed with a cytotoxic drug conjugate. This strategic license allows us to progress a program by leveraging Five Prime’s strength in the development of novel biologic products and ADCT’s complementary strength in arming antibodies for use in treating cancer.”

Financial terms were not disclosed and remain confidential.

- ENDS -

About ADC Therapeutics (www.adctherapeutics.com)

ADC Therapeutics Sarl (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major solid and hematological cancers. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. The Company has access to warhead and linker chemistries via agreements with Spirogen (a wholly-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca’s MedImmune). It is progressing eleven ADC programs, two of these under a joint development agreement with MedImmune. Its lead program, ADCT-301 for lymphoma entered Phase I in mid 2015.

ADC Therapeutics has its head office in Lausanne, Switzerland and through subsidiaries has its R&D laboratories in London, UK, its clinical development team in New Jersey, USA, and its manufacturing team based in San Francisco, USA. With its industry leading management team and board of directors, ADC Therapeutics is a leader in the development of PBD-based ADCs.

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

AstraZeneca's MedImmune Acquires Spirogen, Invests in ADC Therapeutics

15 October 2013

Auven Therapeutics Announces AstraZeneca’s MedImmune Acquires Antibody-Drug Conjugate Company Spirogen and Invests in ADC Therapeutics

Both Auven Therapeutics Portfolio Companies

MedImmune acquires 100% of Spirogen for $200 million in cash and deferred consideration of up to $240 million

MedImmune and ADC Therapeutics enter into a collaboration agreement for two of ADC Therapeutics’ oncology programs

MedImmune pays $20 million for an equity investment in ADC Therapeutics matched by a $20 million additional investment from Auven Therapeutics

MedImmune’s Executive Vice President, Dr. Bahija Jallal, joins ADC Therapeutics’ board

LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND, LONDON, UK, ST THOMAS, U.S. VIRGIN ISLANDS, AND NEW YORK, USA, October 15, 2013

Auven Therapeutics, the global private equity company focused on accelerated development of breakthrough therapeutic drugs addressing unmet medical needs, today announced that its strategic investment in the antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) field has been validated by the sale of its platform technology portfolio Company Spirogen to MedImmune, the global biologics research and development arm of AstraZeneca.

MedImmune has also entered into a collaboration agreement with portfolio Company ADC Therapeutics to jointly develop two of ADC Therapeutics antibody-drug conjugate programs in preclinical development. MedImmune and Auven will also make an equity investment in ADC Therapeutics.

ADCs are a clinically-validated cancer drug technology that offers both high potency and selective targeting of cancer cells. Spirogen’s proprietary pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) technology attaches highly potent cytotoxic agents, or ‘warheads’ to specific cancer-targeting antibodies using biodegradable ‘linkers’. This targeting optimises the delivery of the cancer drug to the tumour cells only and provides the greatest degree of tumour killing while minimising the toxicity to the patient.

Dr. Peter B. Corr, co-founder and Managing General Partner of Auven and Chairman of ADC Therapeutics said: “We anticipate that our work in the ADC field will be a major driver of value in our fund. We believe that ADCs are one of the most interesting and important areas we have worked on in our careers. The combination of tumor-specific antibodies with highly potent cytotoxic warheads will be game changing in the oncology field.”

Spirogen sale

MedImmune will acquire 100 per cent of the shares of Spirogen for an initial consideration of $200 million and deferred consideration of up to $240 million based on reaching predetermined development milestones. Existing out-licensing agreements remain in place, milestones and royalty rights under which have been transferred into a holding company 75% owned by Auven.

Commenting on the sale, Spirogen CEO Dr. Chris Martin said: “This deal reflects the very significant progress made by our scientists, most notably over the last two years, as we have applied our warhead and linker technologies to the development of highly potent and specific ADCs. We believe that PBD-armed antibody-drug conjugates will emerge as a critical component in the next generation of cancer biologics with the potential to make a difference for oncologists and their patients. We look forward to combining our world class capabilities in this area with MedImmune’s ability to develop this exciting class of oncology drugs.”

Following Auven’s investment in Spirogen, the Company has expanded and made major technical advances toward optimizing the stability and therapeutic window of PBD-warheaded ADCs, working closely with its collaborators including ADC Therapeutics.

Stephen Evans-Freke, co-founder and Managing General Partner of Auven and Chairman of Spirogen commented: “While our business strategy for Spirogen had been to license its ADC warhead technology to multiple industry partners, an unsolicited approach by an unrelated party to this deal to acquire the Company caused us to explore with Lazard the potential for enhanced value realization through an outright sale. While we had interest from various parties, MedImmune stood out as an ideal partner. We were very pleased with the outcome.”

ADC Therapeutics agreements

The collaboration agreement entered into between MedImmune and ADC Therapeutics will include an upfront payment with predetermined development milestones for two programs from a defined list. The parties have a cost- and profit- sharing arrangement with MedImmune representing the majority share. ADC Therapeutics retains the option to co-promote one of the two products in the US.

MedImmune will also pay $20 million for an equity investment in ADC Therapeutics matched by a $20 million additional investment from Auven Therapeutics on the same terms.

Michael Forer, CEO of ADC Therapeutics and a Managing Director of Auven, said: “The $40 million equity investment in ADC Therapeutics combined with the economic terms of the collaboration agreement with MedImmune ensure that the Company is now well-funded to achieve its mission. Outside of our arrangement with MedImmune, we aim for ADC Therapeutics to have multiple proprietary products in clinical development within two years and to achieve clinical proof-of-concept by 2017.”

Dr. Bahija Jallal, Executive Vice President of MedImmune said, “Antibody-drug conjugates are ground-breaking technologies with the potential for directly targeting many types of cancer tumours while safeguarding healthy cells. The cutting-edge technologies developed by Spirogen and ADC Therapeutics complement MedImmune’s innovative antibody engineering capabilities, enabling us to accelerate antibody-drug conjugates into the clinic” she said.

“MedImmune is a natural partner for us given its depth of antibody expertise, its oncology focus and the commitment of its leadership to bring a number of break-through cancer therapeutics incorporating this exciting technology to patients as rapidly as possible. We are also excited to have Dr. Bahija Jallal with all her expertise in this area join the Board of ADC Therapeutics,” concluded Mr Evans-Freke and Dr. Corr.

Lazard Freres & Co. LLC acted as lead advisor to Spirogen and ADC Therapeutics and Arnold & Porter LLP served as legal counsel.

- ENDS -

About ADC Therapeutics (www.adctherapeutics.com)

ADC Therapeutics Sarl (ADCT) is an oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major solid and hematological cancers. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to surface antigens on particular tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. The Company has access to warhead and linker chemistries via agreements with Spirogen (a wholly-owned subsidiary of AstraZeneca’s MedImmune). It is progressing eleven ADC programs, two of these under a joint development agreement with MedImmune. Its lead program, ADCT-301 for lymphoma entered Phase I in mid 2015.

ADC Therapeutics has its head office in Lausanne, Switzerland and through subsidiaries has its R&D laboratories in London, UK, its clinical development team in New Jersey, USA, and its manufacturing team based in San Francisco, USA. With its industry leading management team and board of directors, ADC Therapeutics is a leader in the development of PBD-based ADCs.

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

ADC Therapeutics Licenses Proprietary Antibody from BZL Biologics for Prostate Cancer

15 July 2013

ADC Therapeutics Licenses Proprietary Antibody from BZL Biologics for Prostate Cancer

Lausanne, Switzerland and New York, US – 15 July 2013 − ADC Therapeutics Sarl, a portfolio company of Auven Therapeutics and the oncology drug development company specializing in proprietary antibody drug conjugates (‘ADCs’), and BZL Biologics LLC, of New York, today announced an exclusive licensing and collaboration agreement for an antibody against PSMA-positive prostate cancers.

PSMA is a cell-surface antigen on prostate cancer cells, and PSMA levels correlate directly with an aggressive, metastasizing phenotype. The characteristics of PSMA – its cancer specificity, presence in 95% of prostate cancers, high level of expression, and rapid internalization – make it an ideal ADC target.

ADC Therapeutics plans to initiate pre-IND development of a PSMA-specific ADC immediately, adding to ADC Therapeutics’ portfolio of proprietary ADC programs. Its unique platform combines monoclonal antibodies specific to particular types of tumor cells, in this case PSMA, with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. As ADC Therapeutics PBD-based chemistries do not distort the structure of the DNA it gives the prospect of highly potent, target-selective cancer therapies with fewer side effects and the potential to pre-empt resistance issues faced by other anti-cancer products on the market.

Dr Neil H. Bander, Director of Urological Oncology Research at Weill Cornell Medical College from where the anti-PSMA antibody was licensed, said: “We have direct experience with virtually every antibody-drug conjugate platform currently available; none have produced the level of efficacy we have seen with ADC Therapeutics’ PBD warheads - in vivo efficacy data from their PSMA-targeted ADC drug candidate are truly exciting, and we are excited to see this potentially breakthrough therapy translated into a clinic program as soon as possible.”

Dr. Peter B. Corr, Chairman of ADC Therapeutics and Managing General Partner of Auven Therapeutics, said: “Having the technology platform to develop novel ADCs against important cancer targets and transform healthcare outcomes for patients is a critical part of what we are building at ADC Therapeutics. We are pleased to have established this exclusive relationship with the outstanding team in Dr. Bander’s laboratories at Weill-Cornell.”

Financial terms were not disclosed and remain confidential.

About ADC Therapeutics Sarl

ADC Therapeutics (ADCT) is a Swiss-based oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers such as breast lung, prostate, renal and blood. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to particular types of tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. As its PBD-based chemistries do not distort the structure of the DNA it gives the prospect of highly potent, target-selective cancer therapies with fewer side effects and the potential to pre-empt resistance issues faced by other anti-cancer products on the market. The company was formed in 2012 with a $50m commitment from private equity firm Auven Therapeutics (previously known as Celtic Therapeutics). ADCT has a strategic collaboration with Spirogen Ltd, also an Auven Therapeutics’ portfolio company, for the supply of warhead chemistries and R&D services. It operates a virtual business model based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

For further information please see: www.adctherapeutics.com

About Auven Therapeutics

Auven Therapeutics was founded by Stephen Evans-Freke and Dr. Peter B Corr in 2007 with an innovative investment strategy - while it is structured as a private equity fund, it also operates as a drug development company. Auven Therapeutics has a portfolio of biologic and small molecule therapeutic candidates for a range of therapeutic indications including cancer, ophthalmic conditions, women’s health and orphan diseases. Auven manages its drug development activities from its bases in Lausanne, Switzerland, New York, USA and Hamilton, Bermuda. Auven Therapeutics Management L.L.L.P., based in the U.S. Virgin Islands, serves as its Investment Advisor.

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

Genmab and ADC Therapeutics Enter Co-Development Collaboration for an Antibody Drug Conjugate Combining HuMax-TAC and PBD Warhead

17 June 2013

• Antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) to be developed for cancer
• Combines strength of HuMax®-TAC with next generation PBD-based warhead technology
• 50:50 partnership

Copenhagen, Denmark and Lausanne, Switzerland; 17 June 2013 – Genmab A/S (OMX: GEN) and ADC Therapeutics, announced today an agreement to develop a new antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) product combining Genmab’s HuMax-TAC antibody and ADC Therapeutics’ PBD-based warhead and linker technology. The Companies have been conducting in vitro and in vivo studies since 2012 to investigate different warhead and linker combinations with HuMax-TAC, and now have the product ready for pre-IND preclinical development. The product will be developed for multiple cancer indications.

Genmab and ADC Therapeutics will each initially have an equal share in the product. In the first instance, ADC Therapeutics will lead and fund preclinical development. Prior to the submission of an application to conduct clinical studies in patients (IND filing), Genmab may elect to retain equal ownership of the product. Genmab will not incur any development costs prior to the IND filing decision and Genmab will maintain a minimum 25% ownership stake in the product as it moves into clinical development. No other financial terms were disclosed.

“We believe our unique HuMax-TAC antibody has optimal characteristics for creation of an ultra-potent antibody-drug conjugate when used in combination with ADC Therapeutics’ novel PBD-based warhead and linker technology, which employs an emerging class of highly potent anticancer agents. This agreement is another example of a win-win partnership combining Genmab’s state-of-the-art antibody development expertise with the latest advance in antibody-payload technology,” said Jan van de Winkel, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Genmab.

Dr. Peter B, Corr, Chairman of ADC Therapeutics said: “We are very excited to be developing an ADC with our new partner Genmab and incorporating our next generation PBD-based toxins into this product. Our warhead payload technology enjoys exquisite potency, optimised conjugation and pharmaceutical properties that maintain activity in highly resistant cancers. Our pre-clinical data for this product indicate the potential for curative efficacy in highly resistant populations at low ADC doses of this product in several oncology indications, an area with critical unmet needs”.

This agreement does not affect Genmab’s 2013 financial guidance.

About HuMax-TAC

HuMax-TAC is a high-affinity fully human antibody targeting CD25, a therapeutic target with strong clinical validation. CD25 is expressed on a variety of hematological tumors and shows limited expression on normal tissues, which makes it a very attractive target for antibody-payload approaches. With HuMax-TAC-ADC, we aim to develop a first-in-class antibody-drug conjugate for the potential treatment of CD25-expressing lymphomas and leukemias.

About PBD Warheads & Linkers

ADCs developed using ADC Therapeutics’ technology combine monoclonal antibodies specific to particular tumor targets with highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD) based warheads developed by ADC Therapeutic’s partner Spirogen Limited. These PBD warheads are joined to antibodies by linkers that release the PBD warhead in the targeted cancer cells. This technology has attracted the attention of other biotechnology companies such as Genentech and Seattle Genetics.

About ADC Therapeutics

ADC Therapeutics (ADCT) is a Swiss-based oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers such as breast lung, prostate, renal and blood. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to particular types of tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. As its PBD-based chemistries do not distort the structure of the DNA it gives the prospect of highly potent, target-selective cancer therapies with fewer side effects and the potential to pre-empt resistance issues faced by other anti-cancer products on the market. The company was formed in 2012 with a $50m commitment from private equity firm Auven Therapeutics (previously known as Celtic Therapeutics). ADCT has a strategic collaboration with Spirogen Ltd, also an Auven Therapeutics’ portfolio company, for the supply of warhead chemistries and R&D services. It operates a virtual business model based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

About Auven Therapeutics

ADC Therapeutics sarl (ADCT) is a Swiss-based oncology drug development company that specializes in the development of proprietary Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) targeting major cancers such as breast lung, prostate, renal and blood. The Company’s ADCs are highly targeted drug constructs which combine monoclonal antibodies specific to particular types of tumor cells with a novel class of highly potent pyrrolobenzodiazepine (PBD)-based warheads. As its PBD-based chemistries do not distort the structure of the DNA it gives the prospect of highly potent, target-selective cancer therapies with fewer side effects and the potential to pre-empt resistance issues faced by other anti-cancer products on the market. The company was formed in 2012 with a $50m commitment from private equity firm Auven Therapeutics (previously known as Celtic Therapeutics). ADCT has a strategic collaboration with Spirogen Ltd, also an Auven Therapeutics’ portfolio company, for the supply of warhead chemistries and R&D services. It operates a virtual business model based in Lausanne, Switzerland.

About Genmab A/S

Genmab is a publicly traded, international biotechnology company specializing in the creation and development of differentiated human antibody therapeutics for the treatment of cancer. Founded in 1999, the company’s first marketed antibody, ofatumumab (Arzerra®), was approved to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia in patients who are refractory to fludarabine and alemtuzumab after less than eight years in development. Genmab’s validated and next generation antibody technologies are expected to provide a steady stream of future product candidates. Partnering of innovative product candidates and technologies is a key focus of Genmab’s strategy and the company has alliances with top tier pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies. For more information visit

www.genmab.com.

Contact Genmab:

Rachel Curtis Gravesen, Senior Vice President, Investor Relations & Communication

T: +45 33 44 77 20; M: +45 25 12 62 60;

r.gravesen@genmab.com

Contact ADC Therapeutics:

Sue Charles/Stefanie Bacher/Gemma Howe, College Hill Life Sciences (PR Agency for ADC Therapeutics

T: +44 (0) 20 7457 202;

E: adct@collegehill.com

This Media Release contains forward looking statements. The words “believe”, “expect”, “anticipate”, “intend” and “plan” and similar expressions identify forward looking statements. Actual results or performance may differ materially from any future results or performance expressed or implied by such statements. The important factors that could cause our actual results or performance to differ materially include, among others, risks associated with pre-clinical and clinical development of products, uncertainties related to the outcome and conduct of clinical trials including unforeseen safety issues, uncertainties related to product manufacturing, the lack of market acceptance of our products, our inability to manage growth, the competitive environment in relation to our business area and markets, our inability to attract and retain suitably qualified personnel, the unenforceability or lack of protection of our patents and proprietary rights, our relationships with affiliated entities, changes and developments in technology which may render our products obsolete, and other factors. For a further discussion of these risks, please refer to the risk management sections in Genmab’s most recent financial reports, which are available on www.genmab.com. Genmab does not undertake any obligation to update or revise forward looking statements in this Media Release nor to confirm such statements in relation to actual results, unless required by law.

Genmab A/S and its subsidiaries own the following trademarks: Genmab®; the Y-shaped Genmab logo®; HuMax®; HuMax-CD20®; DuoBody®, HexaBodyTM and UniBody®. Arzerra® is a trademark of GlaxoSmithKline.

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839

Cancer Research Technology and ADC Therapeutics Join Forces on Antibody Drug Conjugates

6 July 2012

London and Lausanne, 6 July 2012 - Cancer Research Technology (CRT), the commercial arm of Cancer Research UK, and Switzerland-based ADC Therapeutics Sarl (ADCT)* announce today that they have signed agreements to develop cancer treatments called Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs) using CRT antibodies and peptides, and ADCT’s ‘warhead’ and linker chemistries.

ADCs are an exciting and clinically important class of oncology drugs as they combine the specificity of antibodies with novel ‘warhead’ chemistries. The antibody component selectively targets the cancer cells to deliver tumour-destroying chemicals which are internalised into the cancer cell while avoiding damage to healthy tissue. Once inside the cancer cell, the linker degrades and the active toxin is released, binding to the cell’s DNA and killing the cancer cell. ADCT’s toxic chemicals interact with DNA without disrupting the double helix structure which avoids triggering DNA repair processes – with the prospect that this will prevent drug resistance.

ADCT’s warheads are based on proprietary pyrrolobenzodiazepines (PBDs) technology developed by London-based Spirogen Limited. In March 2012, ADCT and Spirogen announced their partnership to develop proprietary ADC products. CRT holds the intellectual property (IP) rights to a range of tumour-targeting agents** developed by Cancer Research UK scientists.

ADCT will initially fund preclinical studies for the new ADCs in a range of cancer models in laboratories at Queen Mary, University of London, University College London and King’s College London. Deal terms are not disclosed, nor the cancer targets.

Dr Chris Martin, ADCT’s collaboration manager and CEO of Spirogen Limited, said: “We are very excited to see our potent PBD-based warheads combined with CRT’s leading tumour-targeting antibodies and peptides. Together we are committed to faster and more efficient drug development, and have already commenced our preclinical work for these exciting programs. We believe this provides a very promising and rapid route to develop novel ADCs for cancer therapy and are very much looking forward to working in partnership with CRT.”

Dr Phil L’Huillier, CRT’s director of business management, said: “There’s very promising evidence that ADCs could be an important new way to treat cancer. This is a particularly exciting time in this field, following the recent approval by the FDA for the first use of an ADC to treat lymphoma. This unique collaboration marries ADCT’s targeted portfolio with CRT’s access to world-class cancer research supported by £334 million each year. We hope the collaboration will identify a range of ADCs that can be taken forward for development into innovative new ways to treat cancer and save lives.”

For more information please contact:

Investors Contact
Dr. Chris Martin
Chief Executive Officer
chris.martin@adctherapeutics.com
Tel.: +41 (0) 21 653 0200

EU Media Contact
Alexandre Müller
Dynamics Group
amu@dynamicsgroup.ch
Tel: +41 (0) 43 268 3231

USA Media Contact
Tony Plohoros
6 Degrees
tplohoros@6degreespr.com
Tel.: +1 908-591-2839