Genmab Discontinues Two ADCs from ProfoundBio Acquisition, Focuses on Rina-S Development

Genmab, the Danish pharmaceutical company, has recently made significant changes to its portfolio following the $1.8 billion acquisition of ProfoundBio in April 2024. The company has discontinued two antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) while maintaining focus on its lead candidate, Rina-S, for ovarian and endometrial cancers.

Portfolio Restructuring and Clinical Trial Updates

Genmab has terminated the development of GEN1160, an ADC that was in Phase I/II studies for blood cancers and solid tumors. The decision was attributed to slow enrollment in the clinical trial, which was investigating the drug's potential in renal cell carcinoma, nasopharyngeal carcinoma, and non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

This follows the earlier discontinuation of GEN1107, another ADC from the ProfoundBio acquisition, which was in Phase I/II development for advanced solid tumors, including ovarian, endometrial, and triple-negative breast cancer. The company cited an unfavorable overall benefit-risk profile as the reason for halting GEN1107's development.

A Genmab spokesperson explained the strategy behind these decisions: "This approach ensures we focus our resources on developing innovative antibody medicines with the greatest potential to make a meaningful impact for patients."

Rina-S: The Centerpiece of ProfoundBio Acquisition

Despite the setbacks, Genmab continues to advance rinatabart sesutecan (Rina-S), the primary asset from the ProfoundBio deal. Rina-S is currently in late-stage development for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer and endometrial cancer.

Recent data from the Phase I/II RAINFOL-01 study presented at the 2025 European Society for Medical Oncology meeting showed promising results. In heavily pretreated endometrial cancer patients, Rina-S demonstrated a 50% confirmed objective response rate over a median follow-up of one year, including two complete responses.

Similarly encouraging results were reported in March for ovarian cancer, with a 55.6% confirmed objective response rate in heavily pretreated patients. The median duration of response had not been reached at the time of reporting.

Legal Challenges and Future Prospects

Genmab's development of Rina-S faces potential obstacles beyond the clinical realm. AbbVie has filed a lawsuit alleging that ProfoundBio's ADC technology is based on stolen trade secrets from a former AbbVie employee. Genmab has stated it will "vigorously defend" against these claims, noting that several other companies have faced similar allegations from AbbVie.

Despite these challenges, Genmab remains committed to expanding its oncology pipeline. In September, the company acquired Merus for $8 billion, gaining access to the bispecific antibody petosemtamab. This drug has shown promise in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma, with a phase II study reporting a 79% overall survival rate at 12 months and a 63% overall response rate when combined with Keytruda.

As Genmab continues to refine its portfolio and focus on high-potential assets, the pharmaceutical industry will be watching closely to see how these strategic decisions shape the company's future in oncology drug development.