Novartis to acquire Myricx Bio to strengthen next-generation cancer therapy pipeline
The UK biotechnology company’s novel antibody-drug conjugate platform and two preclinical cancer therapy candidates will expand Novartis’ oncology research portfolio.
Novartis has agreed to acquire UK-based biotechnology company Myricx Bio in a move aimed at strengthening its oncology pipeline with a new class of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) designed to overcome resistance to existing cancer treatments.
The proposed acquisition adds Myricx Bio’s N-myristoyltransferase inhibitor (NMTi) payload platform to the Swiss drugmaker’s cancer research portfolio, along with two lead preclinical ADC candidates targeting B7-H3 and HER2, both of which have potential applications across multiple solid tumours.
The deal is the latest in a series of acquisitions by Novartis aimed at expanding its pipeline of targeted therapies. In oncology, the company has been adding assets focused on precision medicine, including antibody-drug conjugates and targeted inhibitors, as it seeks to strengthen its portfolio across multiple solid tumour settings.
Antibody-drug conjugates are targeted cancer therapies that combine an antibody, which recognises cancer cells, with a drug payload that is delivered directly to those cells. The approach is intended to improve the precision of treatment while limiting damage to healthy tissue.
According to Novartis, Myricx’s platform uses N-myristoyltransferase inhibitors as the payload. N-myristoyltransferase is an enzyme that helps key proteins function inside cells and supports the growth and survival of cancer cells. By blocking this enzyme, the payload is designed to disrupt processes that cancer cells depend on.
The company said the technology is intended to address limitations of commonly used ADC payloads, including TOPO-1 inhibitors, which can become less effective as cancers develop resistance.
“ADCs have become an important part of cancer treatment, but there remains a clear need for new payload mechanisms to overcome resistance and expand their impact for patients,” said Fiona Marshall, President of Biomedical Research at Novartis.
“Myricx Bio has developed a promising NMTi payload platform with a differentiated mechanism that could broaden the use of ADCs across multiple tumour settings. This proposed acquisition reflects our strategy to scale innovative platforms, as we have with radioligand therapies, to deliver more durable, transformative treatments for patients,” she said.
Part of a broader oncology strategy
The Myricx Bio acquisition expands Novartis’ presence in antibody-drug conjugates, an area of cancer drug development that combines antibodies with cancer-killing medicines to target tumour cells more precisely.
The transaction brings two preclinical ADC candidates targeting B7-H3 and HER2, proteins found on the surface of several solid tumours. It also adds a novel N-myristoyltransferase inhibitor payload platform, which Novartis said has the potential to overcome resistance seen with some existing ADC payloads.
The acquisition complements Novartis’ broader oncology strategy of expanding its portfolio of targeted therapies. Earlier this year, the company announced the acquisition of Synnovation Therapeutics, also known as Pikavation, adding SNV4818, a next-generation PI3Kα inhibitor being evaluated in Phase 1/2 studies for HR-positive, HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer and other solid tumours. The candidate builds on Novartis’ existing breast cancer portfolio.
Potential new class of ADC payloads
Novartis said preclinical data suggest the NMTi payload may have broad activity across solid tumours, including cancer models resistant to TOPO-1 inhibitors. Preclinical studies are laboratory and animal studies conducted before a treatment is tested in people.
Beyond the two lead assets, the company said the agreement could help establish N-myristoyltransferase inhibitors, if clinically validated, as a new class of ADC payloads that could be applied across additional cancer targets and treatment platforms.
If completed, the acquisition would further expand Novartis’ oncology research pipeline and deepen its investment in next-generation targeted cancer therapies. The company said the transaction is intended to broaden future treatment options for patients with solid tumours.
