BioCentury
ARTICLE | Company News

Avalon launches cancer play PDI Therapeutics

May 21, 2016 12:39 AM UTC

Avalon Ventures launched cancer immunotherapy play PDI Therapeutics Inc. (La Jolla, Calif.) as part of an expanded build-to-buy partnership with GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE:GSK; NYSE:GSK). The newco is the first Avalon has launched since the partners expanded their deal last fall (see BioCentury, Nov. 16, 2015).

PDI Therapeutics is developing antibodies that inhibit protein disulfide isomerases (PDIs) to treat cancer. Overexpression of PDI can allow tumor cells to evade a patient's immune system, so PDI inhibition can permit natural killer (NK) or T cells to identify and destroy the tumor cells, Avalon said. ...