Working to deliver a new generation of breakthrough medicines

When I founded my first company, Synthon BV, the goal was to build on my background as an organic chemist to bring high-quality and affordable medicines to patients. Creating and growing a company that now is able to develop, manufacture and out-license complex generics and hybrid medicines to help millions of patients around the world provides a sense of pride and also appreciation that a team can take on significant challenges together and succeed for a greater benefit. 

That feeling of what can be innovated, built and advanced for patients is the driving force behind Byondis. With Byondis, our goal is to address additional unmet needs for patients – this time by discovering, developing and delivering proprietary and novel breakthrough medicinal modalities to patients in the field of cancer and other difficult to treat diseases.

Specifically, we are leveraging our unique strengths: fully-integrated discovery, development and manufacturing capabilities; in-house created pipeline of novel antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) and monoclonal antibody therapeutics (mAbs) that deliver selectivity and diversity to address gaps in current treatment and our team’s deep scientific acumen and drug development expertise.

We are encouraged about our lead programs now in the clinic, including BYON4228 (SIRPα mAb), a potentially best in class SIRPα myeloid immune checkpoint inhibitor that blocks CD47-SIRPα thereby inhibiting the ''don't-eat-me'' signal that tumors use to escape from recognition and destruction by the immune system and BYON4413 (CD123 ADC), a DUBA-based ADC targeting CD123, which is widely overexpressed in various hemato-oncological malignancies.  

This year, we are poised to make significant traction in our mission to deliver a new generation of ADCs and mAb therapeutics that address significant unmet needs for patients by delivering key milestones and updates in our clinical development program. Specifically, we plan to initiate a Phase 1b trial of BYON4228 (SIRPα mAb) in multiple solid tumors and PD-1 combination in the first half of this year as well as provide a data update on the Phase 1 NHL/rituximab combination trial. For BYON4413 (CD123 ADC), we will provide an update on the Phase 1 trial of 4413 in AML/MDS in the second half of the year. 

At the same time, we continue to advance our earlier stage programs, including a novel linker-drug platform enabling generation of immune-stimulating ADCs by tumor specific stimulation of gamma delta T cells, a linker-drug platform carrying novel cytotoxic payload and an emerging platform of tumor-specific masking/de-masking technology to increase the therapeutic index of new and established mAbs and ADCs.

Every successful, innovative biopharmaceutical company has a different path toward delivering on its mission but keeping an eye, at all times, on why we are doing the work and what unique skills, experiences and capabilities will get us there is of utmost importance. For us, that means creating meaningful advances in cancer care that breakthrough the limitations of current treatments to turn hope into reality for patients. It means leveraging our fully-integrated discovery, development and manufacturing capabilities to move rapidly and efficiently; ensuring we are applying all aspects of our scientific acumen and drug development experience to best advance our in-house created pipeline of novel ADCs and mAbs. And it means a deep sense of appreciation that we are in a position to work on and positively impact some of the toughest challenges in treating diseases. I look forward to the successful next phase of our journey.