Welcome to the latest edition of our weekly EuroBiotech Report. We start this week in Germany, where Immatics reeled in $75 million from Celgene. The deal gives Celgene the chance to option three T-cell programs—and Immatics a shot at generating $1.5 billion in milestones. Elsewhere, AstraZeneca paid Swedish Orphan Biovitrum $95 million for a FDA priority review voucher. Immunicum’s allogeneic dendritic cell vaccine failed to improve on Pfizer's Sutent. Adaptimmune formed a preclinical research pact. InDex Pharmaceuticals presented phase 2b ulcerative colitis data. And more. — Nick Taylor
1. Celgene pays Immatics $75M to work on solid tumor cell therapies
Celgene has paid Immatics $75 million (€68 million) upfront to collaborate on the development of anti-cancer adoptive cell therapies. The deal gives Celgene the chance to opt in to T-cell treatments for solid tumor programs once they reach candidate selection.
2. AstraZeneca pays Sobi $95M for priority review voucher
AstraZeneca has struck a $95 million (€86 million) deal to buy a FDA priority review voucher from Swedish Orphan Biovitrum. The purchase comes as AstraZeneca enters a 12-month period in which it plans to file for approval of about 10 assets.
3. Immunicum's vaccine fails to beat Pfizer's Sutent in phase 2
Immunicum’s allogeneic dendritic cell vaccine ilixadencel has failed to better the 18-month survival rate achieved by Pfizer’s Sutent in a phase 2 metastatic renal cell carcinoma trial. As of the cutoff, 63% of patients in the ilixadencel arm were alive compared to 66% in the Sutent cohort.
4. Adaptimmune pens backloaded deal to access T-cell tech
Adaptimmune has struck a deal to access Noile-Immune Biotech’s technology for improving cancer cell therapies. The collaboration, which could cost Adaptimmune $312 million all told, is expected to move a candidate into human testing in 2021.
5. InDex's topical ulcerative colitis drug hits goal in phase 2b
A phase 2b trial of InDex Pharmaceuticals’ ulcerative colitis drug has met its primary endpoint. The trial linked use of the highest dose of the topical TLR9 agonist to a 15% improvement in the clinical remission rate over placebo.
And more articles of note>>