Bluebird spinout 2seventy bio and China-based CAR-T company JW Therapeutics are joining forces to build out a cell therapy platform with the aim of developing T cell receptor (TCR) therapies for solid tumors.
JW Therapeutics will pay 2seventy bio $3 million upfront for the license for a preclinical MAGE-A4 cell therapy program in mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau, a 2seventy bio spokesperson told Fierce Biotech via email.
JW Therapeutics—a joint venture between Bristol Myers’ Juno Therapeutics and WuXi AppTec—will take on development, manufacturing and commercialization of the program within China. 2seventy bio will also be entitled to milestone and royalty payments, with the potential to use early clinical data generated from the partnership for development in other regions.
“The true patient benefit of this collaboration lies in the ability to establish additional capabilities to rapidly test, learn and progress our innovative cell therapy programs,” Steve Bernstein, M.D., chief medical officer for 2seventy bio, said in an Oct. 27 release. “JW Therapeutics possesses extensive understanding of the unmet medical needs of the population and the regulatory affairs process in China as well as the clinical development pathways.”
The program is part of a 2seventy bio’s collaboration with Regeneron signed in 2018. At the beginning of this year, the Big Pharma and biotech revealed that MUC16, a protein found on most ovarian cancers, is the candidate spearheading their five-year CAR-T pact.
Amid the prolonged bear market, many biotechs are finding solace among their fellow industry players, teaming up to leverage resources. For 2seventy bio, the partnership follows workforce cuts this March—less than five months after the company formally spun off from bluebird.
2seventy bio secured its legacy in the cell therapy arena by developing FDA-approved CAR-T Abecma with Bristol Myers. Meanwhile, JW Therapeutics has achieved cell therapy success in China, where its relma-cel became the second CAR-T to secure regulatory approval.
Other biotechs have had their eyes on MAGE-A4, a type of cancer-testis antigen expressed in many solid tumors. Earlier this week, Adaptimmune restated that its MAGE-A4 franchise remains its lead program, as the company scooped other TCR programs from GSK.