Takeda forms new alliances to boosts immuno-oncology portfolio

Takeda Pharmaceutical has formed new research alliances to bolster the discovery of next-generation immunotherapies, including cell therapy techniques, for the treatment of cancer.

One of the collaborations is with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in the US for the discovery and development of new chimeric antigen receptor T-cell (CAR-T) therapeutics.

The multi-faceted partnership aims to address multiple myeloma, acute myeloid leukaemia and other solid tumour indications.

In addition, the Japanese pharmaceutical giant exercised an option to exclusively licence CAR-T cell therapies NIB-102 and NIB-103 under an ongoing agreement with Noile-Immune Biotech.

NIB-102 and NIB-103 are intended to treat different types of solid tumours. Takeda and Noile will co-develop these products using its Prime CAR-T platform.

Takeda intends to seek regulatory approval for studying NIB-102 in humans by the end of this year.

"There’s an incredible opportunity to accelerate the development of truly novel cell therapies."

Furthermore, Takeda exercised an option to licence oncology-targeted Humabody from Crescendo Biologics. This will enable assessment of Humabody VHs to develop new CAR-T therapeutics.

The development will involve use of single-domain tumour-targeted binders instead of standard single-chain variable fragment (scFv)-based methods.

Takeda Pharmaceutical Cell Therapies Pharmaceutical Sciences and Translational Engine head Stefan Wildt said: "There’s an incredible opportunity to combine promising external innovation with the power of a fit-for-purpose translational cell therapy engine to accelerate the development of truly novel cell therapies.

"We have assembled a very talented team with deep and relevant cell therapy development experience who will help us achieve this goal."

The new cell therapy products are expected to support Takeda’s haematologic malignancies, lung cancer and immuno-oncology portfolios.

Last month, Takeda teamed up with Global Antibiotic Research and Development Partnership (GARDP) in Switzerland and Eisai to identify new antibiotics.

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