Glioblastoma Foundation® Acquires Drug Lisavanbulin

Oncology drug displays potential as therapy for a subset of glioblastoma patients

[Durham, NC, October 24, 2024] The Glioblastoma Foundation, the leading national nonprofit organization dedicated to transforming the standard of care for glioblastoma patients, is pleased to announce that it has entered into an asset purchase agreement with Basilea Pharmaceutica Ltd. This agreement transfers the development and rights of the oncology drug candidate lisavanbulin (BAL101553, the prodrug of BAL27862)[1] to the Glioblastoma Foundation. This drug holds promise as a potential therapy for glioblastoma, the most aggressive and lethal form of brain cancer.

Under the terms of the agreement, the Glioblastoma Foundation has acquired all rights to lisavanbulin and will continue clinical development of the drug and maintain the post-trial access for patients.

Dr. Gita Kwatra, Chief Executive Officer of the Glioblastoma Foundation, said, “We are delighted to partner with Basilea and take over the development of lisavanbulin for glioblastoma patients. Lisavanbulin has shown excellent activity against glioblastoma in PDX preclinical models and efficacy in phase 1 and 2 studies. We strongly believe that lisavanbulin will be effective in a subset of glioblastoma patients and we are looking forward to initiating clinical trials of lisavanbulin in the US.”

Multiple glioblastoma patients have benefited from lisavanbulin in clinical trials and through the expanded access program. Charlotte Nicholson’s husband Paul is one of those patients. Charlotte, wrote to the Glioblastoma Foundation, mentioning that [the post-trial access program] means everything to them.

Dr. Fabio Iwamoto, a leading neuro-oncologist at Columbia University, who has been tapped to spearhead a US clinical trial set to begin later this year, said “[Lisavanbulin] appears to be a promising new drug for glioblastoma patients, and I look forward to working with the Glioblastoma Foundation to conduct clinical studies to develop it for glioblastoma patients.”

Each year, 15,000 people are diagnosed with glioblastoma in the US, and long-term survival after a glioblastoma diagnosis remains poor.[2]  The Glioblastoma Foundation is leading the nation’s efforts to advance treatment, support for patients, and awareness of this incurable brain cancer.

About the Glioblastoma Foundation:

Established in 2016, the Glioblastoma Foundation aims to transform glioblastoma treatment and care through research, advocacy, and support initiatives. By funding innovative research projects, raising awareness, and providing resources for patients and families, the Foundation strives to improve outcomes and quality of life for those affected by this aggressive form of brain cancer. Initiatives such as the Genomic Testing & Research Laboratory launch and the Basilea partnership will allow the Foundation to transform glioblastoma from a terminal cancer to a treatable within the next five years. For more information about the Glioblastoma Foundation, please visit https://www.glioblastomafoundation.org.

About Lisavanbulin (BAL101553):

As stated by Basilea, “Lisavanbulin has been investigated as a potential therapy for glioblastoma in clinical phase 1 and 2 studies.[3],[4],[5] In preclinical studies, lisavanbulin demonstrated in-vitro and in-vivo activity against diverse treatment-resistant cancer models, including tumors refractory to conventional approved therapeutics and radiotherapy.,, Lisavanbulin efficiently distributes to the brain, with anticancer activity in glioblastoma models., 10 The active moiety, BAL27862, binds to the colchicine site of tubulin, with distinct effects on microtubule organization, resulting in the activation of the "spindle assembly checkpoint" which promotes tumor cell death. Lisavanbulin has been granted Orphan Drug Designation by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the treatment of malignant glioma (brain cancer), including glioblastoma.”

About Basilea:

Listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (SIX: BSLN), Basilea is a commercial-stage biopharmaceutical company founded in 2000 and headquartered in Switzerland. The company works to discover, develop, and commercialize innovative drugs to meet the needs of patients with severe bacterial and fungal infections. For more information, please visit https://www.basilea.com.

[1]  J. Pohlmann, F. Bachmann, A. Schmitt-Hoffmann et al. BAL101553: An optimized prodrug of the microtubule destabilizer BAL27862 with superior antitumor activity. Cancer Research 2011, 71 (8 supplement), abstract 1347
[2]  Information About Glioblastoma. Glioblastoma Foundation. https://glioblastomafoundation.org/patients/glioblastoma-brain-tumor-information
[3] ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03250299
[4] Clinical Trials.gov identifier: NCT02895360; M. Joerger, T. Hundsberger, S. Haefliger et al. Safety and anti-tumor activity of lisavanbulin administered as 48-hour infusion in patients with ovarian cancer or recurrent glioblastoma: a phase 2a study. Investigational New Drugs 2023 (41), 267-275
[5]  ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT02490800; J. S. Lopez, S. Häfliger, R. Plummer et al. Evaluation of response-predictive biomarkers for lisavanbulin: A phase II study in patients with recurrent glioblastoma. ESMO Open 2023, Vol 8, 1, Suppl 2, 100941.