AstraZeneca strikes cancer vaccine pact
pharmafile | January 8, 2014 | News story | Research and Development, Sales and Marketing | AstraZeneca, Cancer, MedImmune, oncology
AstraZeneca’s biologics arm MedImmune has struck an oncology research deal with UK biotech company Immunocore.
The deal, which could be worth more than $320 million, will see both companies research and develop new cancer therapies using Immunocore’s Immune Mobilising Monoclonal T-Cell Receptor Against Cancer (ImmTAC) technology.
This platform of biological medicines, or ImmTACs, exploits the power of the body’s own immune system to find and kill diseased cells. ImmTACs direct a patient’s T cells to specifically destroy only the cancerous cells, avoiding damage to healthy cells.
Essentially this collaboration will aim to design drugs that help the immune system identify and attack cancer cells – known colloquially as cancer vaccines.
GlaxoSmithKline and Roche set up similar deals with the Oxfordshire-based company last year, both for similar amounts to today’s deal with AZ.
There are already a number of cancer vaccines on the market, including Dendreon’s Provenge for prostate cancer and Bristol-Myers Squibb’s Yervoy for advanced melanoma.
Under the terms of the agreement, Immunocore and MedImmune will work together to generate ImmTACs against selected cancer targets.
AstraZeneca and MedImmune will have the right to further develop and commercialise ImmTAC products to add to their immune-mediated cancer therapy portfolio.
Immunocore will receive an upfront payment of $20 million per programme, and the company is then eligible to receive up to $300 million in development and commercial milestone payments for each target programme and further ‘significant’ royalties if the programmes are successful.
Dr Bahija Jallal, executive VP of MedImmune, said: “We look forward to collaborating with Immunocore on this promising area of cancer research that has the potential to further enhance our immune-mediated cancer therapy portfolio for patients with a range of cancer types.
“Immunocore has a strong track record with its innovative ImmTAC technology, and presents a significant opportunity for us to achieve treatment breakthroughs in the area of immune-mediated cancer therapies.”
Oncology is becoming a core therapy area for AstraZeneca as it sets up new deals on both small molecule and biologics research, while the firm is also developing a larger portfolio in cancer vaccines.
James Noble, chief executive, Immunocore, said: “We are delighted to be collaborating with MedImmune, a leader in the development of biotherapeutics with particular strengths in oncology.
“We look forward to working together to develop ImmTAC therapies against cancer targets and address the unmet medical needs of many thousands of cancer patients.”
Immunocore’s first product candidate, called IMCgp100, began early clinical trials in patients with metastatic melanoma last year.
In November 2012 the privately-owned company was awarded a £2.4 million grant from the government-backed Biomedical Catalyst fund, and said it would use the money to take forward a candidate therapy for prostate cancer.
Ben Adams
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