An experimental lung cancer drug discovered at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute in Boston is at the center of a lawsuit involving Dana-Farber, the Swiss drug giant Novartis, and California-based Gatekeeper Pharmaceuticals. But while that complicated case unfolds, Waltham-based biotech Avila Therapeutics is working on a similar molecule to treat certain drug-resistant forms of lung cancer.
Avila, founded in 2007, has gained attention for its covalent drug chemistry, which enables drug molecules to form strong bonds with disease proteins and block their activity.
Its lead molecules target the hepatitis C virus and a protein involved in certain B cell cancers and autoimmune diseases.
The durable bonds its drugs are designed to form with disease proteins offer potential advantages, such as reducing doses and limiting side effects.
Since spring, Avila has been applying its covalent drug technology in a $209 million partnership with Boulder, Colo.-based Clovis Oncology to discover treatments for non-small cell lung cancers that are resistant to Roche and OSI Pharmaceuticals’ blockbuster cancer pill erlotinib (Tarceva) and AstraZeneca’s gefitinib (Iressa).
Resistance to those therapies is often linked to a mutation (called the T790M mutation) in the gene for a protein called an epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR).
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer deaths among men and women in the United States, according to the National Cancer Institute.
Non-small cell lung cancer, the most common type, is fueling a lot of the research activity; Pfizer and the German drug maker Boehringer Ingelheim have drugs for this type of lung cancer in late-stage clinical trials, for example. Many companies are at earlier stages of developing drugs.
Avila’s and Dana-Farber’s efforts are relatively new, but both are notable because they aim to produce drugs that target tumor cells with a specific mutation of EGFR linked to drug resistance while sparing healthy tissues.
Studies indicate that most patients who take erlotinib or gefitinib develop resistance to the drugs; the T790M mutation is involved in half of those cases.
“That’s a real motivator to try to develop a drug candidate as soon as possible,’’ said Katrine Bosley, Avila’s CEO. “I think that’s why there is such a strong interest in this area, because it’s such a real clinical problem.’’
Avila and Clovis are hoping to ask the Food and Drug Administration for permission to begin human studies with a drug from their ongoing research collaboration by the end of 2011 or early 2012, Bosley said.
It is unclear when the Dana-Farber molecule will be tested in humans; the case is pending, and the parties involved at Dana-Farber, Gatekeeper, and Novartis have declined to comment.
George Evans has left his post as chief executive of Beverly-based Cellceutix because of a dispute about his compensation, the company said in documents filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.
Evans, a former legal executive for Pfizer, is demanding that Cellceutix, a developer of cancer and autism drugs, pay him a total of $1.7 million in back salary and future compensation, according to a copy of an e-mail the company filed with regulators.
The board of directors of the company, which has less than $5,000 in cash, has approved a one-for-50 stock split to improve its ability to raise funds, in part to pay for handling its dispute with Evans.
Third Rock Ventures has named Robert Kamen, previously of Oxford Bioscience Partners, as an entrepreneur in residence.
Kamen’s 30 years in biologics includes time spent as president of Abbott Bioresearch Center, where was involved in the discovery of the blockbuster rheumatoid arthritis drug adalimumab (Humira), according to Third Rock.
Kamen is also an alumnus of the legendary Genetics Institute, where he began his career.
Third Rock said that Kamen, who will be based in the firm’s Boston office, is expected take part in the development of new companies.
This report was compiled by the editors of Xconomy, an online news website focused on the business of technology and innovation. For more New England coverage, visit www.Xconomy.com/boston. 
