PARTNERING
Adaptimmune strikes $3+ billion deal with Genentech to develop cell therapies against cancer
Adaptimmune Therapeutics has entered into a strategic collaboration and license agreement with Genentech to develop and commercialize allogeneic cell therapies to treat multiple oncology indications. The collaboration has two components - development of allogeneic T-cell therapies for up to five shared cancer targets; and development of personalized allogeneic T-cell therapies. For each component, Adaptimmune will be responsible for developing clinical candidates using its induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) derived allogeneic platform to produce T-cells (iT cells). Genentech will be responsible for the input TCRs and subsequent clinical development and commercialization. Adaptimmune will receive an upfront payment of $150 million and additional payments of $150 million over five years, unless the agreement is earlier terminated. In addition, Adaptimmune may be eligible to receive research, development, regulatory and commercial milestones payments potentially exceeding $3 billion in aggregate value. Adaptimmune will also receive tiered royalties on net sales in the mid-single to low-double digits. Adaptimmune has the right to opt in to a 50/50 U.S. profit/cost share on "off-the-shelf" products. If Adaptimmune elects to opt in, then Adaptimmune will be eligible to share 50 percent of profits and losses from U.S. sales on such products and is eligible to receive ex-US regulatory and sales-based milestone payments, as well as royalties on ex-US net sales.
Tiziana Life Sciences and Precision Bio to evaluate foralumab to improve CAR-T outcomes
Tiziana Life Sciences and Precision BioSciences to explore Tiziana's foralumab, a fully human anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody, as an agent to induce tolerance of allogeneic CAR-T cells to potentially improve the clinical outcome of CAR-T cell therapy. Precision will be responsible for the development, commercialization, and costs for use of foralumab, and Tiziana will receive upfront payment, certain milestone payments, and royalties for foralumab.
Twist and Adicet to discover and develop gamma delta T cells
Twist Bioscience is continuing its run of therapeutic discovery deals, announcing a new collaboration with Adicet Bio to discover and develop allogeneic γδ T cell therapies for cancer and other indications. The partners will discover and develop γδ T cells expressing CARs or TCRs against five undisclosed targets by combining Twist’s Library of Libraries for identification of target-specific binders using its single chain fragment variable (scFv) and VHH (nanobody) technologies, and Adicet’s CAR engineering and discovery capabilities. Twist will receive an upfront technology licensing fee for each program, plus milestones and royalties. Last week, Twist announced an antibody discovery deal with Boehringer Ingelheim.
