REDWOOD CITY, CA, USA I September 30, 2014 I OncoMed Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (OMED), a clinical-stage company developing novel therapeutics that target cancer stem cells (CSCs), or tumor-initiating cells, today announced the advancement of the first small molecule Wnt pathway inhibitor under its collaboration with Bayer Pharma AG. The small molecule product candidate is advancing to preclinical development triggering a $2 million milestone payment to OncoMed.

John Lewicki, Ph.D., OncoMed’s Chief Scientific Officer, commented, “By combining OncoMed’s anti-cancer stem cell discovery expertise and platform technologies with Bayer’s medicinal chemistry capabilities, we have identified a novel small molecule candidate targeting the Wnt pathway. Early preclinical testing of this molecule’s activity demonstrates robust anti-tumor and anti-cancer stem cell activity that warrants further testing.”

OncoMed and Bayer initiated joint discovery efforts to identify small molecule inhibitors of the Wnt pathway, a key cancer stem cell pathway, as part of the companies’ collaboration initiated in 2010. This is the first small molecule inhibitor of a cancer stem cell pathway from the collaboration to enter preclinical development. Bayer will lead development and commercialization of Wnt small molecule product candidates. As part of this collaboration, OncoMed is leading the advancement of two clinical-stage biologic candidates, vantictumab (anti-FZD7, OMP-18R5) and ipafricept (Fzd8-Fc, OMP-54F28), through multiple Phase 1b studies.

“OncoMed’s biologics targeting the Wnt pathway, vantictumab and ipafricept, have made steady clinical progress, demonstrating potent on-target activity,” said Paul Hastings, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of OncoMed. “The achievement in the small molecule program is further validation of this important cancer stem cell pathway and the successful alliance between Bayer and OncoMed. We look forward to the continued development of this promising new preclinical candidate.”

About Cancer Stem Cells

Cancer stem cells, or CSCs, are the subpopulation of cells in a tumor responsible for driving growth and metastasis of the tumor. CSCs, also known as tumor-initiating cells, exhibit certain properties which include the capacity to divide and give rise to new CSCs via a process called self-renewal and the capacity to differentiate or change into the other cells that form the bulk of the tumor. Common cancer drugs target bulk tumor cells but have limited impact on CSCs, thereby providing a path for recurrence of the tumor. OncoMed’s product candidates target CSCs by blocking self-renewal and driving differentiation of CSCs toward a non-tumorigenic state, and also impact bulk tumor cells. OncoMed believes its product candidates are distinct from the current generations of chemotherapies and targeted therapies, and have the potential to significantly impact cancer treatment and the clinical outcome of patients with cancer.

About OncoMed Pharmaceuticals

OncoMed Pharmaceuticals is a clinical-stage company focused on discovering and developing novel therapeutics targeting cancer stem cells (CSCs). OncoMed has five anti-cancer product candidates in clinical development, including demcizumab (anti-DLL4, OMP-21M18), tarextumab (anti-Notch2/3, OMP-59R5), anti-Notch1 (OMP-52M51), vantictumab (anti-FZD7, OMP-18R5), and ipafricept (FZD8-Fc, OMP-54F28), which target key cancer stem cell signaling pathways including Notch and Wnt. OncoMed has two other antibodies in preclinical development, anti-DLL4/anti-VEGF bispecific (OMP-305B83) and anti-RSPO3 (OMP-131R10), with Investigational New Drug filings planned for late 2014 or early 2015. OncoMed is also pursuing discovery of additional novel anti-CSC and cancer immunotherapy product candidates. OncoMed has formed strategic alliances with Celgene Corporation, Bayer Pharma AG and GlaxoSmithKline (GSK). Additional information can be found at the company’s website: www.oncomed.com.

SOURCE: OncoMed Pharmaceuticals