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Exclusive license via Yeda to two Weizmann Institute patent families from Prof. Nir London's lab, a leader in covalent drug design Site-specific, durable and traceless protein radiolabeling approaches intended to enhance tumor selectivity and retention in radiopharmaceuticals Integration into Actithera's platform to support design of next-generation radioligand therapies across oncology indications CAMBRIDGE, Mass. and OSLO, Norway, Oct. 14, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Actithera, a biotechnology company pioneering next-generation radiopharmaceutical therapies, today announced an exclusive license agreement with Yeda, the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science, for two patent families covering breakthrough covalent chemistry technologies. Actithera will apply these innovations to advance its proprietary platform for radiopharmaceutical drug discovery and development. The licensed technologies were developed in the laboratory of Professor Nir London, an internationally recognized leader in covalent drug design. These approaches enable a highly differentiated way to introduce radioactivity selectively and durably onto tumor-specific proteins, offering the potential to redefine how radiopharmaceuticals are conceived, optimized, and deployed in the clinic. "This agreement represents an important step forward for Actithera," said Andreas Goutopoulos, PhD, Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Actithera. "By adding Professor London's pioneering chemistry to our toolkit of proprietary covalent and non-covalent approaches, we are uniquely positioned to unlock new opportunities in cancer treatment. This innovation from the Weizmann Institute enables us to introduce radioactivity directly into tumor cells by irreversibly and tracelessly radiolabeling tumor-specific proteins while keeping them in their native state. We believe that this combination of irreversibility and tracelessness can translate into prolonged retention of radiation within tumors and ultimately improve therapeutic outcomes." Elik Chapnik, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Yeda, commented: "We are pleased to partner with Actithera in bringing Professor London's groundbreaking covalent chemistry technologies into the radiopharmaceutical field. Actithera's vision and expertise make them an ideal partner to translate these scientific advances into impactful cancer therapies that can benefit patients worldwide." The technologies will be integrated into Actithera's existing discovery platform as the company advances its lead FAP-targeting radioligand candidate toward clinical development in multiple indications. This strategic expansion is supported by Actithera's recent oversubscribed $75.5 million Series A financing completed in July 2025, which is enabling the continued development of the Company's proprietary RLT discovery platform and preclinical pipeline. Professor Nir London, Associate Professor, Department of Chemical and Structural Biology, Weizmann Institute of Science, added:"My lab has long been dedicated to expanding the possibilities of covalent drug design. Seeing our work translated into the radiopharmaceutical space through Actithera's innovative platform is particularly exciting given the field's potential to deliver targeted radiation directly to tumors while sparing healthy tissue. I look forward to supporting their progress as they advance these technologies toward clinical validation." The covalent chemistry technologies from the Weizmann Institute represent one of several cutting-edge approaches integrated into Actithera's discovery engine, expanding the Company's toolkit for building a pipeline of precision therapies addressing areas of high unmet need in oncology. About Actithera Actithera is a biotechnology company advancing a differentiated platform for the discovery and development of next-generation radiopharmaceutical therapies. By combining expertise in medicinal chemistry, radiochemistry, and drug design, Actithera is developing a pipeline of novel targeted therapies to treat cancer. The company is headquartered in Cambridge, MA and Oslo, Norway. About Yeda Yeda is the commercial arm of the Weizmann Institute of Science, dedicated to translating groundbreaking discoveries into life-changing products. For decades, Yeda has been at the forefront of academic technology transfer, driving the commercialization of breakthrough drugs including Copaxone®, Rebif®, Erbitux®, Humira®, and Yescarta®. By partnering with leading companies worldwide, Yeda continues to bridge the gap between cutting-edge science and global impact. About the Weizmann Institute of Science The Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel is one of the world's top-ranking multidisciplinary research institutions. Noted for its wide-ranging exploration of the natural and exact sciences, Weizmann Institute's scientists are advancing research on the human brain, artificial intelligence, sustainability, computer science and encryption, astrophysics and particle physics, and are tackling diseases such as cancer, while also addressing climate change through environmental, ocean, and plant sciences. 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The FDA is warning that use of Johnson & Johnson and Legend Biotech’s multiple myeloma CAR-T Carvykti could increase the risk an intestinal inflammatory disorder which can be fatal.  The FDA has adjusted the label of Johnson & Johnson and Legend Biotech’s Carvykti, warning patients and doctors that use of the multiple myeloma treatment could increase the risk of an intestinal inflammatory disorder, which can be fatal.  The FDA’s boxed warning is for immune effector cell-associated enterocolitis (IEC-EC). The condition has developed in some patients within weeks or months after infusion of the CAR-T cell therapy, leading to diarrhea, abdominal pain and weight loss, according to the FDA. The disorder can be fatal when it causes gut perforation and sepsis.The warning comes after reports of IEC-EC from clinical trials and post-marketing adverse event data, the FDA said. Those who have developed IEC-EC have been treated with immunosuppressive therapies, including corticosteroids, and with nutritional bloodstream infusions, which bypass the digestive system.In its safety communication, the U.S. regulator added that the benefit of Carvykti “continues to outweigh the potential risks” of the treatment.Based on a retrospective analysis of clinical trials, IEC-EC has occurred in 1% of those who have received Carvykti, a J&J spokesperson said.“We are committed to supporting patients who receive Carvykti, understanding how patients respond to therapy, and ensuring health care professionals have the most updated safety information and management considerations,” the J&J spokesperson added.More than 8,500 patients have been treated with Carvykti, and the drug has demonstrated significant progression-free survival and overall survival benefits, J&J's spokesperson said. In patients receiving one to three prior lines of therapy and through nearly three years of follow-up, Carvykti has reduced the risk of death by 45% over standard therapies. The FDA recommends that patients with IEC-EC should be referred to gastroenterology and infectious disease specialists. Those with refractory IEC-EC should additionally be screened for T-cell lymphoma of the gastrointestinal tract, as it has been reported in some patients in the post-marketing setting, the regulator said.Last year, the FDA added a boxed warning to all CAR-T treatments for the risk of secondary T-cell cancers. The other blood cancer CAR-T drugs on the market are Novartis’ Kymriah, Bristol Myers Squibb’s Breyanzi and Abecma and Gilead’s duo of Tecartus and Yescarta. Four months ago, the FDA removed its Risk Evaluation and Mitigation Strategies (REMS) requirements for CAR-T blood cancer drugs, which were in place because of the risk of cytokine release syndrome and neurological toxicities associated with the drugs. Under the REMS program, hospitals and clinics had to be specially certified to administer CAR-T therapies.The FDA approved Carvykti in 2022 and expanded its use to as early as the second-line setting last year. With sales of $808 million in the first half of this year, Carvykti has surpassed Yescarta as the world’s top-selling CAR-T. Yescarta, which became the first CAR-T blockbuster in 2022, generated sales of $779 million in the first half of this year.