Key Takeaways
1. Oxford BioTherapeutics (OBT) has partnered with Roche to develop new cancer antibody treatments using the OGAP-Verify discovery platform.
2. OBT will receive an initial payment of up to $36 million and potential milestone payments exceeding $1 billion, along with royalties on successful product launches.
3. Roche will lead the validation, research, and development of drug targets identified by OBT’s platform.
4. OBT’s CEO highlighted Roche’s expertise in oncology and its role in enhancing cancer target discovery.
5. OBT is focused on advanced treatments for patients with hard-to-treat cancers and has existing clinical programs in the U.S. and Europe.
Oxford BioTherapeutics (OBT) has recently begun a long-term collaboration with Roche aimed at discovering and developing new antibody treatments to combat cancer. The oncology-focused company will utilize its OGAP-Verify discovery platform to identify promising drug targets with enhanced precision and accuracy.
Financial Aspects of the Deal
As part of this agreement, OBT is set to receive an initial payment of up to $36 million, along with potential milestone payments that could exceed $1 billion. Additionally, they will earn royalties on any successful products that are launched. Once OBT identifies targets using the OGAP-Verify platform, Roche will take the lead in validating, researching, and developing those targets further.
Statements from Leadership
OBT’s CEO, Christian Rohlff, emphasized the significance of this partnership, referring to Roche as “a global leader in oncology”. He expressed that this alliance bolsters OBT’s efforts in discovering better cancer targets and highlighted Roche’s special ability to combine pharmaceutical and diagnostic knowledge.
Excitement at Roche
Boris L. Zaïtra, who leads Corporate Business Development at Roche, also expressed enthusiasm regarding this strategic collaboration. He pointed out that merging Roche’s proficiency in introducing innovative treatments with OBT’s state-of-the-art target discovery platform could “open new doors in cancer care.” Zaïtra reiterated Roche’s dedication to accelerating the development of transformative therapies for patients with challenging diagnoses.
OBT specializes in creating advanced treatments like Bispecific Antibodies and Antibody Drug Conjugates (ADCs), and they currently have three clinical programs underway in the U.S. and Europe. Their immuno-oncology discovery method has led to several new monoclonal and bispecific antibody candidates targeting various types of cancer.
OBT’s Clinical Focus
One of OBT’s primary clinical programs, which expanded in the U.S. in 2021, is aimed at patients suffering from advanced or treatment-resistant solid tumors, including gastric, bladder, ovarian, and lung cancers, particularly when specific biomarkers are highly expressed.
OBT’s development capabilities have been confirmed through partnerships with significant industry players like Boehringer Ingelheim, ImmunoGen, and Zymeworks.
Source:
Link
Leave a Reply