ITM Isotope Technologies Munich SE (ITM), a radiopharmaceutical biotech company, has executed its license agreement with the life science business of Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany, to obtain a worldwide exclusive license for the clinical development and commercialization of radiolabeled folate derivatives for therapeutic and diagnostic applications against folate-receptor-positive malignant tumors. 
 
Under the terms of the agreement, the company will supply ITM with its folate precursors for radiolabeling, which ITM will use to advance the clinical and potential future commercial development of its folate receptor-targeting radiopharmaceutical pipeline candidates. The worldwide exclusive license has been expanded to all folate-receptor-positive malignant tumors. Financial terms of the agreement were not disclosed.
 
ITM is currently developing ITM-52, a radiopharmaceutical candidate comprised of a folate receptor α (FRα) targeting moiety coupled with a medical isotope, which the company intends to advance to phase I clinical testing. ITM’s theranostic pairing, ITM-55D/ITM-52 is designed to address current limitations in both the screening and treatment paradigm.
 
“Exercising and expanding our licensing agreement with Merck KGaA, Darmstadt, Germany will greatly support our efforts to rapidly progress our folate-receptor targeting candidate toward phase I clinical evaluation,” commented Steffen Schuster, CEO of ITM. “As we continue striving to meet the needs of patients living with an array of life-threatening cancers, this agreement and collaboration will be invaluable as it expands the breadth of indications we can address.”