BioNTech Connects With OncoC4 to Develop Cancer Treatment

BioNTech and OncoC4 have inked a deal that has BioNTech paying $200 million upfront to co-develop and commercialize OncoC4’s anti-CTLA-4 monoclonal antibody candidate as a monotherapy or combination therapy for various cancers.

ONC-392 is showing encouraging clinical activity in an ongoing phase 1/2 trial either as single agent or in combination with pembrolizumab in patients with metastases, particularly those who progressed on immunotherapies targeting programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and cytotoxic T-lymphocyte-associated protein 4 (CTLA-4), two proteins found on T cells that help keep the body’s immune responses in check.

The therapy, which aims to delete immunosuppressive T cells in the tumor microenvironment but spare healthy tissues, “may be able to achieve a more effective dosing regimen in the clinic and more successful tumor-killing,” the companies said.

As part of the deal, OncoC4 is eligible to receive development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments as well as tiered royalties.