Print“Discovery of novel antigens also will provide unique targets for other protein-based anti-cancer agents currently under development, says Hy Levitsky of Roche.”
Immatics Biotechnologies and Roche entered into a strategic R&D collaboration to develop cancer vaccines and other immunotherapies that may be worth up to $1 billion to the German biotech. The deal is focused around Immatics’ tumor-associated peptide-based cancer vaccine candidates targeting primarily gastric, prostate and non-small cell lung cancer.
Immatics’ most advanced candidate under the deal is a treatment for gastric cancer, IMA942, which is ready for early-stage testing. Immatics will receive an upfront payment of $17 million and committed research funding, plus potential milestones that could reach $1 billion across three cancer indications. Roche will be responsible for the clinical development and commercialization of all of the immunotherapies generated by Immatics as a result of this collaboration.
In parallel with Roche’s development of Immatics’ compound, the biotech will use its proprietary technology platform to identify novel and relevant candidates for Roche that can be developed as cancer vaccines and other compounds targeting cancer peptide antigens, primarily in gastric, prostate and non-small cell lung cancer.
“The wealth of relevant cancer-specific antigens that we expect to emerge from this research collaboration will provide an extraordinary opportunity to elicit broad tumor-specific immune responses upon vaccination, especially when combined with other immunomodulatory molecules in our pipeline,” says Hy Levitsky, head of Cancer Immunology Experimental Medicine at Roche. “Discovery of novel antigens also will provide unique targets for other protein-based anti-cancer agents currently under development.”
Immatics’ technology platform discovers novel relevant cancer antigens known to be expressed on tumor cells. These tumor-associated peptides constitute the basis for developing therapeutic cancer vaccines and other immunotherapies including peptide-targeting compounds such as antibodies and soluble T-cell receptors.
Immatics’ lead experimental candidate, IMA901, is in a pivotal late-stage study in renal cell carcinoma.
November 15, 2013
http://www.burrillreport.com/article-immatics_and_roche_sign_cancer_deal_worth_up_to_1b.html
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