Clinical-stage oncology company Oxford BioTherapeutics (OBT) on Monday announced two new clinical milestones with Boehringer Ingelheim-partnered programmes, BI 3820768 (OB33) and obrixtamig (OBT620).

BI 3820768 is the third programme from OBT's multi-target collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim to achieve first-patient dosing, triggering a milestone payment to OBT. The BI 3820768 target was identified using OBT's proprietary OGAP-Verify platform and represents the second development milestone for this programme, following the initiation of IND-enabling studies one year earlier.

OBT also highlighted the advancement of obrixtamig (OBT620), an investigational DLL3-targeting bispecific T-cell engager originating from its discovery platform. Obrixtamig has entered global Phase 3 development in two trials: DAREON-Lung-1 is investigating obrixtamig in combination with chemotherapy and atezolizumab versus chemotherapy and atezolizumab in previously untreated extensive-stage small cell lung cancer, with the first patients recently been dosed; and DAREON-NEC-1 is evaluating obrixtamig in combination with chemotherapy versus chemotherapy alone as first-line treatment for patients with DLL3-positive unresectable locally advanced or metastatic extrapulmonary neuroendocrine carcinoma.

Another Boehringer Ingelheim-partnered programme from OBT's work, the investigational B7-H6-targeting T-cell engager BI 765049, is also in clinical development for advanced solid tumours.

According to OBT, DLL3 was originally identified by OBT using its OGAP-Verify platform as a tumour-selective T-cell engager target. The antigen is expressed in approximately 80-85% of small cell lung cancer and certain neuroendocrine carcinomas, supporting its potential as a promising therapeutic target in aggressive cancers with high unmet need.

The collaboration between the two companies began in 2013 and was subsequently expanded in 2020 and 2023. OBT has applied its OGAP-Verify platform to identify novel oncology targets in solid tumours and the partnership has generated multiple development-stage assets. Under the collaboration, Boehringer Ingelheim is responsible for global development and commercialisation of all programmes.