Genentech Terminates $715 Million Partnership for Personalized Cancer Vaccine VB10.NEO

Nov 09, 2024 10:44 CST Updated 10:44

Genentech

Pharmaceutical R&D Manufacturer

Nykode Therapeutics

Developer of Novel Immunotherapies for Cancer

On November 7, Norway – Nykode Therapeutics, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel immunotherapies, announced that it has received a notice from Genentech, a subsidiary of Roche, deciding to terminate the collaboration and license agreement for Nykode's VB10.NEO cancer vaccine project.

Clinically, the Vaccibody™ vaccine is delivered in the form of a DNA plasmid using a needle-free jet injector, which delivers the plasmid into muscle cells. Inside the cells, the DNA plasmid provides the information to produce the Vaccibody protein, just as the cell produces other human proteins. The newly encoded Vaccibody™ protein is then secreted from the cells, targeting and recruiting APCs. Depending on the choice of targeting unit, different subpopulations of APCs will be targeted, meaning the immune response may be biased towards humoral (antibody) or cellular (T-cell) responses or their variants (CD8+CD4, Th1/Th2/Th17/Treg). The unique mechanism of action leading to rapid, strong, and CD8-dominated responses has also shown encouraging signs of immunological and clinical efficacy in the first cohort of evaluated patients.

According to this notice, the existing collaboration and license agreement signed in September 2020 will terminate on January 6, 2025, and Nykode will regain control of VB10.NEO and its intellectual property portfolio, as well as the licensing rights for the program. Nykode is not required to refund any upfront payments or pay any future amounts to Genentech upon termination.

As early as 2020, Genentech hadNykode(then called Vaccibody) signed a global licensing agreement to acquire VB10.NEO, an individualized neoantigen cancer vaccine. Genentech made an upfront payment of $200 million and provided Nykode with the opportunity to receive up to $515 million in milestone payments.

Genentech stated that this decision was the result of an evaluation of its overall asset portfolio. There is no indication that the termination of the partnership is related to data.

Michael Engsig, CEO of Nykode Therapeutics, stated:"We are confident in the clinical data generated to date and the ongoing potential of our personalized cancer vaccine VB10.NEO, and will determine the best path forward for this program, including potential new partnerships."

VB10.NEO is a proprietary individualized neoantigen vaccine under development for the treatment of locally advanced or metastatic solid tumors. The vaccine is designed to be produced on-demand based on the neoantigen profile of individual patients. Neoantigens are proteins generated by tumor-specific mutations that are absent in normal tissues, making them attractive targets for cancer immunotherapy as they may be recognized as foreign by the immune system. VB10.NEO has been evaluated across multiple indications in two clinical trials. It has demonstrated generally good tolerability and the ability to elicit unique, broad, patient-specific, and tumor-specific durable immune responses.

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