Boehringer Ingelheim acquires MabVax’s programme for solid tumours

Boehringer Ingelheim has entered an asset acquisition and licence agreement for US-based biotechnology firm MabVax Therapeutics’ programme designed to target a glycan that is commonly overexpressed on various solid tumours cancers.

Under the terms of the agreement, Boehringer gets all rights in and to the programme, and in turn MabVax will receive $11m in upfront, near-term and downstream regulatory milestones, as well as earn-out payments.

However, the asset purchase does not include other programmes beign developed MabVax, meaning the compnay will retain all rights to its HuMab-5B1 programme and other antibody discovery programmes.

MabVax is currently evaluating the HuMab-5B1 antibody programme as a therapeutic as well as diagnostic product in Phase I clinical trials.

MabVax Therapeutics president and CEO David Hansen said: "We are very pleased to have Boehringer Ingelheim as a major industry partner to further develop one of our preclinical antibody assets based on our proprietary HuMab technology.

"This agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim recognises the value of our innovative approach to discovering novel antibodies to diagnose and treat cancer."

"This agreement with Boehringer Ingelheim recognises the value of our innovative approach to discovering novel antibodies to diagnose and treat cancer."

MabVax focuses on discovery and development of fully human antibodies to diagnose and treat patients suffering from cancers with significant unmet medical needs.

Its antibody portfolio was discovered using biological samples extracted from solid tumour patients who received treatment with a glycan antigen-containing vaccine.

These fully human antibodies have been obtained directly from vaccinated cancer patients and are said to have potential benefits such as better specificity and minimised toxicities.

The company’s antibody programme has been already validated with early preclinical development activities, and MabVax is working towards translating the associated products into clinical development for cancer treatment.

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