Arvinas Adapts Strategy, Cuts Jobs Amid Breast Cancer Drug Development Challenges

Arvinas, a clinical-stage biotech company, has cut jobs and shifted its strategy in developing a breast cancer drug. The company is focused on using its PROTAC Discovery Engine platform to create therapies that degrade disease-causing proteins. It has four investigational clinical-stage programs, including vepdegestrant for locally advanced or metastatic ER+/HER2- breast cancer. Arvinas is also developing ARV-766 and bavdegalutamide for prostate cancer and ARV-102 for neurodegenerative disorders.

Clinical-stage biotech company Arvinas (NASDAQ:ARVN) has announced a strategic shift in its breast cancer drug development program, outlicensing the commercialization rights of vepdegestrant to a third party. The move is part of a broader restructuring aimed at unlocking the full value of the investigational estrogen receptor protein degrader and ensuring its availability if approved by regulatory authorities.

Arvinas, which uses its PROTAC Discovery Engine platform to create therapies that degrade disease-causing proteins, has laid off 15% of its workforce and is pursuing strategic business development opportunities and additional efficiencies as a result of the change in the vepdegestrant program. The company has three other investigational clinical-stage programs: ARV-102 for progressive supranuclear palsy and Parkinson's disease; ARV-393 for non-Hodgkin lymphoma; and ARV-806 for solid tumor malignancies Arvinas, Pfizer to outlicense commercialization of cancer asset vepdegestrant^[1].

The decision to outlicense vepdegestrant, which was filed for approval with the U.S. FDA in June, comes as Pfizer (NYSE:PFE) is advancing its own KAT6 inhibitor, PF-07248144, into Phase 3 clinical trials. This drug, discovered from Oncology One's out-licensed KAT6 inhibitor program, is a selective catalytic inhibitor of KAT6 (KAT6A/B), members of the histone lysine acetyltransferase family of enzymes involved in regulating gene expression. PF-07248144 suppresses abnormal gene activity in certain cancers, providing new hope for people whose cancer has failed to respond to all previous lines of treatment Jointly discovered KAT6i molecule originating from Australian research has initiated Phase 3 in HR+ HER2- Breast Cancer with Pfizer Inc^[2].

Arvinas' CEO, John Houston, has announced his retirement, and the company is extending its cash runway into H2 2028 amid the vepdeg collaboration changes Arvinas, Pfizer to outlicense commercialization of cancer asset vepdegestrant^[1]. The strategic shift and job cuts underscore Arvinas' focus on optimizing its pipeline and leveraging its technology platform to advance its remaining programs.