LG Chem has signed a global exclusive licensing agreement with Frontier Medicines covering the development and commercialization of cancer drug candidate FMC-220, which is preparing to enter Phase 1 clinical trials.
Under the deal, LG Chem takes responsibility for development and commercialization worldwide, excluding China, and will pay an upfront fee to Frontier followed by milestone payments and sales royalties.
FMC-220 is a p53 Y220C activator designed to target the Y220C mutation in the tumor-suppressing protein p53, with the goal of restoring its original function. The p53 Y220C mutation appears in roughly 1-3% of all cancer patients and has long been considered an undruggable target due to the protein’s structural constraints.
LG Chem points to FMC-220’s covalent drug design as a key differentiator, arguing that its irreversible binding mechanism allows for more stable attachment to the target protein compared to non-covalent approaches, potentially extending efficacy over time.
In preclinical studies, Frontier observed strong anti-cancer activity and sustained drug response at low doses. The candidate also showed anti-cancer activity in tumor models with KRAS co-mutations, suggesting potential applicability across a broader patient population.
LG Chem plans to initially develop FMC-220 for ovarian cancer, where the mutation is relatively prevalent, before expanding to other cancer types that carry the p53 Y220C mutation.