Kite and Teneobio Announce Collaboration to Develop Next-Generation Dual-Targeting CAR-T Therapies for Multiple Myeloma

On the 3rd, Kite Pharma, a subsidiary of Gilead Sciences, and Teneobio jointly announced that they had entered into a licensing and collaboration agreement. The two parties will leverage Teneobio’s proprietary human heavy-chain antibody (UniAb) platform to develop next-generation dual-targeted CAR-T therapies for the treatment of patients with multiple myeloma (MM).

Unlike conventional antibodies composed of two heavy chains and two light chains, Teneobio’s proprietary humanized heavy-chain antibodies consist solely of heavy chains, resulting in a relatively smaller size. By utilizing these smaller antibody fragments, multiple chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) transgenes can be incorporated into viral vectors, thereby enabling more effective T-cell engineering and enhancing anti-tumor efficacy.

Under the terms of the agreement, Kite Pharma will obtain exclusive rights to certain B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA) antibodies. The two parties will also utilize Teneobio’s proprietary UniAb platform to develop antibodies targeting four additional indications for CAR-T therapies treating multiple myeloma and other cancers. Teneobio will receive an upfront payment and is eligible for potential milestone payments, as well as future sales royalties from the developed drugs.

Image source: Teneobio official website

“Kite is committed to developing novel CAR-T therapies that have the potential to provide meaningfully differentiated treatment options for patients with multiple myeloma,” said Dr. Peter Emtage, Senior Vice President of Research at Kite. “Based on early clinical signals and the specific binding domains developed by TeneoBio, this exciting collaboration will be central to our strategy for developing next-generation CAR-T therapies, with the potential to overcome the tumor microenvironment.”

“We are very pleased that Kite Pharma recognizes the potential of Teneobio’s UniAb platform to enable differentiated CAR-T therapies for the treatment of multiple myeloma and other cancers,” said Dr. Roland Buelow, Chief Executive Officer of Teneobio. “We look forward to collaborating with Kite Pharma to advance our dual-targeting UniAb platform for patients in need of novel therapies.”

References:

[1] Kite Licenses Antibodies and Establishes Collaboration With Teneobio in Multiple Myeloma, Retrieved Apr 2, 2020, from https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20200402005067/en/Kite-Licenses-Antibodies-Establishes-Collaboration-Teneobio-Multiple

[2] Gilead's Kite taps Teneobio to build next-gen CAR-Ts for multiple myeloma, Retrieved Apr 2, 2020, from https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/gilead-s-kite-taps-teneobio-to-build-next-gen-car-ts-for-multiple-myeloma

Original Title: Flash | Kite Enters Partnership to Develop Dual-Targeted CAR-T Therapy

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