TLDR
- Whitehawk Therapeutics stock jumped 67% after announcing a multi-year partnership with Tempus AI to advance cancer drug research
- The collaboration will use Tempus’ real-world patient dataset to support development of Whitehawk’s antibody drug conjugate pipeline
- Whitehawk’s ADC portfolio targets three proteins (PTK7, MUC16, and SEZ6) expressed in lung and gynecological cancers
- The partnership aims to refine clinical trial designs by identifying patient populations with the greatest unmet medical needs
- Both companies will work to establish concordance between RNA and IHC expression testing methods for better patient identification
Whitehawk Therapeutics shares rocketed higher on Wednesday following news of a multi-year research partnership with Tempus AI. The biotech company’s stock climbed 67% as investors responded to the collaboration announcement.
The deal pairs Whitehawk with Tempus AI to advance biomarker-driven research across Whitehawk’s oncology drug pipeline. Tempus AI’s stock also moved higher, gaining 3.68% on the day.
Tempus will provide access to its proprietary real-world patient dataset for the collaboration. This de-identified multimodal database will help Whitehawk refine its clinical trial designs.
The focus is on identifying patient populations with the highest demonstrated unmet medical needs. Whitehawk plans to use this data to make decisions about which cancer indications to prioritize for its drug candidates.
Drug Portfolio Details
The partnership centers on Whitehawk’s antibody drug conjugate portfolio. The company has three ADC assets in development.
These drug candidates target three clinically validated proteins. The proteins are PTK7, MUC16, and SEZ6.
All three proteins are broadly expressed in high-potential cancer types. The focus areas include lung cancers and gynecological cancers.
ADCs represent a growing class of targeted cancer treatments. They work by delivering toxic drugs directly to cancer cells while sparing healthy tissue.
Testing Methods and Patient Selection
A key element of the collaboration involves establishing concordance between different testing methods. The companies will compare RNA expression testing with immunohistochemistry testing.
Dave Lennon, President and CEO of Whitehawk Therapeutics, explained the value of this work. He noted that RNA testing offers advantages over traditional IHC methods.
RNA testing is objective, reproducible, and scalable. IHC methods can be more subjective in nature.
If RNA testing proves reliable as an alternative, it could improve patient identification for ADC therapies. This would make it easier to find appropriate patients for clinical trials and eventual treatment.
Ryan Fukushima, Chief Operating Officer at Tempus, described the partnership’s potential. He said the combination of Tempus’ multimodal data with Whitehawk’s ADC expertise creates a foundation to validate the portfolio.
Lennon emphasized that a proactive biomarker strategy ensures programs are guided by data-driven insights. The partnership aims to better understand the expression of Whitehawk’s ADC protein targets.
This understanding will inform indication prioritization for clinical development programs. Whitehawk wants to exploit the full potential of its drug pipeline.
The collaboration gives Whitehawk access to real-world evidence as it advances its cancer drug programs. Tempus provides this through its AI platform and comprehensive patient database.
