Oxford, UK and Philadelphia, PA – 7 January, 2013 -- Adaptimmune announces that it has secured an exclusive commercial license from Life Technologies Corporation for its intellectual property portfolio for methods of expanding and activating T cells transduced with engineered T cell receptors (TCR). Life’s Dynabeads® CD3/CD28 CTS™ are the only GMP-grade reagents commercially available for use in clinical trials practicing these patented methods for the rapid expansion of autologous T cells in T cell therapy.
Background to the exclusive license
Adaptimmune’s technology is based on enhancing the power of the T cell receptor (TCR) on killer T cells. This involves taking the patient’s own T cells, genetically modifying them to present the selected TCR and then re-infusing the T cells into the patient. A critical step in this process is the stimulation and expansion of the T cells prior to re-infusion. Since Life Technologies’ beads are the only GMP-grade reagents commercially available for this patented process, today’s deal means that Adaptimmune has secured exclusive commercial access to the technology and the underlying manufacturing processes needed for obtaining regulatory approval of expansion of T cells carrying TCRs.
Life Technologies has developed a considerable portfolio of intellectual property relating to the use of anti-CD3/anti-CD28 antibody-coated magnetic beads for expansion of autologous T cells. The license agreements give Adaptimmune exclusive commercial rights to use Life’s beads and the processes for transduced TCRs used in T cell therapy. It does not affect the use of Life’s beads in other fields or for non-profit, non-commercial, or academic use.
A landmark deal for Adaptimmune
Adaptimmune has a number of programmes in the clinic with TCR-modified T cells, which rely on Life Technologies’ patented methods, as well as a pipeline of new TCRs at the pre-clinical stage. In December 2012, Adaptimmune announced encouraging preliminary results from its multiple myeloma trial at the American Society of Hematology Conference. Adaptimmune is also investigating other cancers with its leading TCR, which targets an antigen known as NY-ESO.
Today’s announcement is another step in Adaptimmune’s continuing route to exclusive commercialization of its products in this new field of autologous TCR-transduced T cell therapy, including establishing consistent GMP manufacturing of expanded T cells carrying TCRs for all later-stage studies and for commercialization.
Mr. James Noble, Chief Executive Officer of Adaptimmune, commented: “This is a landmark deal for Adaptimmune. We have been pioneers in the field of engineering T cell receptors for many years through the expertise of our CSO, Dr. Bent Jakobsen. This deal takes us to the next stage by securing a long-term and exclusive route to manufacturing our products for late-stage clinical studies and, if those trials are successful, for the market. Adaptimmune can now not only create TCRs for T cell therapy, but also exclusively use the intellectual property needed for the manufacturing process and commercialization.”
“Life Technologies believes in the promise of cellular and genomic medicine and is dedicated to nurturing innovation in this emerging therapeutic field,” said Gregory T. Lucier, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Life Technologies. “The partnership with Adaptimmune demonstrates Life’s commitment to deliver technologies that integrate the delivery of next generation therapies currently under development to treat the most critically ill patients.”
Financial terms of the licensing deal are not disclosed. Adaptimmune was assisted in negotiating the deal by Vedder Price PC.
Contact
Margaret Henry
PR Consultant
Adaptimmune Ltd, UK
T: +44 (0) 1865 261491
Mobile: +44 (0) 7771 377363
E: m.henry@oxin.co.uk
