Endocyte slashes staff and programs

After disappointing early data on its two lead drug candidates, Endocyte is cutting 40% of its staff and paring back its development plans. Endocyte is working on small-molecule drug conjugates, which link a compound that targets a specific ligand in the body to a “payload,” often a cytotoxin that would be too toxic to be administered on its own. Weak Phase I trial data prompted Endocyte to significantly narrow the patient populations it will pursue for EC1456, a folate receptor-targeted tubulysin cancer treatment, and EC1169, a prostate-specific membrane-antigen-targeted tubulysin prostate cancer therapy.