Cancer Research UK and immatics Biotechnologies to trial vaccine for brain cancer
CANCER RESEARCH UK and Cancer Research Technology - the charity's development and commercialisation arm - have reached a collaboration agreement with immatics Biotechnologies to trial their new treatment vaccine, IMA950, for glioblastoma multiforme (GMB), one of the most common forms of brain cancer.
IMA950 is the fifth treatment to enter Cancer Research UK's Clinical Development Partnerships (CDP) scheme and the second one to be completed this year. The CDP programme allows companies to retain the rights to their treatment while enabling the charity to take on its early development work to assess if there is a potential benefit to cancer patients. This is the first treatment vaccine to enter the CDP programme.
IMA950 contains 11 peptides linked to glioblastoma multiforme, an aggressive form of glioma. These peptides encourage the T cells in the immune system to recognise cancer cells and destroy them. In a phase I clinical trial that will open in the next year, up to 45 patients who have been newly diagnosed with this form of glioma will receive a number of doses of the vaccine, alongside routine surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy treatments.
The trial, will take place at four hospitals across the UK through Cancer Research UK's Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre network and it will be managed by the charity's Drug Development Office (DDO).
Under the terms of the partnership, Cancer Research UK will fund the trial.
immatics Biotechnologies will then have an option to further develop and commercialise the drug in exchange for future payments to the charity. If they elect not to, the rights will be given to CRT to secure an alternative partner.
Dr Ian Walker, licensing manager at CRT, said: "We're delighted to have formed this agreement with immatics Biotechnologies. Following rigorous peer-review of the scientific data, Cancer Research UK's scientific committee decided that the potential of the vaccine should be investigated further and we are very pleased that the company sought the expertise of the charity to develop a potential new treatment."