NEW YORK – T-Cure Bioscience and Immunotech Biopharm on Wednesday said they have entered into a licensing agreement concerning the development and commercialization of T-Cure's autologous kidney cancer T-cell receptor therapy, 800TCR, in China.
The companies did not disclose the financial details of their deal. However, Beijing-based Immunotech will make an upfront payment to T-Cure in California for the rights to develop and commercialize 800TCR in China. The firm will also make milestone payments to T-Cure, as well as tiered royalty payments on potential future sales.
The licensed TCR therapy is an autologous treatment, whereby patients' immune cells are harvested, modified to target HERV-E antigens on cancer cells, and reinfused into the patient. T-Cure selected HERV-E as a target for its TCR therapy because, according to the company, no HERV-E transcripts have been detected in normal tissue. The company is currently collaborating with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute in the US to evaluate 800TCR in a Phase I trial of metastatic clear cell renal cell carcinoma patients.
"We are extremely pleased to have entered into this agreement with Immunotech," Gang Zeng, CEO of T-Cure, said in a statement. "China represents a large opportunity for the 800TCR given the high prevalence of the haplotype, A11, which the TCR targets. With its advanced research, manufacturing, clinical operations, and marketing, Immunotech represents an ideal partner to help us advance 800TCR in China."