Northway Biotech, a leading biologics Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO), has entered into a strategic manufacturing agreement with Kaida BioPharma to produce KAD101, a promising targeted therapy for hormone-driven ovarian cancer.
This collaboration leverages Northway’s two decades of expertise to develop a robust manufacturing process for KAD101, which marks an important step toward Kaida’s planned Phase 1 clinical trials, expected to begin in late 2026 or early 2027.
The partnership underscores a shared commitment to addressing unmet needs in women’s cancer treatment, with KAD101 poised to offer new hope for patients with treatment-resistant gynecological cancers.
ALSO READ | Elon Musk Pledges Five More Years at Tesla’s Helm Amid Political and Business Ventures
Strategic Partnership to Accelerate KAD101 Development
Under the agreement, Northway Biotech will manage important parts of making KAD101, such as creating and testing methods to analyze it, improving its formula, and increasing production to make a drug batch that meets cGMP standards for clinical studies.
KAD101, a novel biologic, targets the prolactin receptor to block signals that promote cancer cell growth and induce autophagy in ovarian cancer cells.
The announcement comes after positive results from its earlier version, G129R, which showed that all patients in a low-dose group had smaller tumors during early human tests, and it was safe to use as a daily injection.
Kaida has reformulated G129R into KAD101, a bi-weekly injectable, to enhance patient convenience and advance clinical development.
Did You Know?
Ovarian cancer is the fifth leading cause of cancer deaths among women in the US, with a five-year survival rate of approximately 49% for advanced stages, underscoring the urgent need for targeted therapies like KAD101.
Kaida’s Mission to Transform Women’s Cancer Care
Kaida BioPharma is dedicated to developing targeted anti-cancer therapies for hormone-driven cancers, with KAD101 leading the charge against ovarian cancer.
The therapy stops the prolactin (PRL) and prolactin receptor (PRLR) pathway, which is involved in the growth and spread of tumors.
Recent industry insights point out the advantages of such targeted therapies, as ovarian cancer remains a leading cause of cancer-related deaths among women, with approximately 19,700 new cases expected in the US in 2025.
Kaida is also developing KAD102, which works against KAD101, for uterine cancer, broadening its range of treatments to fill important needs in women's cancer care.
The company collaborates with leading researchers, including Dr. John Langenheim of Thomas Jefferson University and Dr. Anil Sood of MD Anderson Cancer Center, to build on decades of prolactin-related research.
ALSO READ | Pfizer Strikes $1.25 Billion Deal with China's 3SBio for Cancer Drug, Secures Equity Stake
Northway Biotech’s Role in Biologics Innovation
Northway Biotech brings its extensive experience as a vertically integrated CDMO to the partnership, offering end-to-end solutions from cell line construction to commercial-scale manufacturing.
With state-of-the-art facilities in Waltham, Massachusetts; Vilnius, Lithuania; and London, UK, Northway is well-positioned to support Kaida’s ambitious clinical timeline.
The global biologics CDMO market is projected to grow at a compound annual growth rate of 7.8% through 2030, driven by demand for innovative therapies like KAD101.
This collaboration highlights Northway’s role in enabling early-stage biotechs to bring transformative treatments to market efficiently and compliantly.
Comments (0)
Please sign in to leave a comment