GSK and Adaptimmune Agree to Develop T-Cell Receptor Therapies

Adaptimmune and GlaxoSmithKline have entered into a strategic cancer immunotherapy collaboration and licensing agreement to develop and commercialize therapies using Adaptimmunes’ T-cell receptor (TCR) engineering technology.

GSK will pay Adaptimmune as much as $350 million over the next seven years if certain development milestones are reached, the companies said. Additional development and commercialization payments will also be made in subsequent years if GSK exercises all its options and milestones continue to be met. Adaptimmune would also receive additional royalties ranging from single to double digits on net sales, the companies added.

The UK-based Adaptimmune has created TCRs that target the cancer testis antigen, NY-ESO-1, and other targets. The company's U.S. trials in the NY-ESO-1 program in multiple myeloma, melanoma, sarcoma and ovarian cancer are generating encouraging results, the company said, and it plans to start European trials shortly.

According to the deal, the companies will develop the NY-ESO-1 clinical program and associated manufacturing optimization together. They will also co-develop other TCR target programs and products, the companies noted.

GSK will have an option on the NY-ESO-1 program through clinical proof-of-concept, which is anticipated during 2016. When exercised, the company will assume full responsibility for the program, it said.

GSK vice president of oncology R&D and head of Immuno-Oncology Axel Hoos said, "We believe that Adaptimmune's T-cell receptor engineering technology will be synergistic with the growing immuno-oncology portfolio of GSK and leverage our existing expertise in autologous cell gene therapy." — Kellen Owings

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