On December 19, 2018 Ziopharm Oncology, Inc. (Nasdaq:ZIOP) and TriArm Therapeutics, Ltd, reported they will launch Eden BioCell, Ltd. to lead clinical development and commercialization of Sleeping Beauty-generated CAR-T therapies in the People’s Republic of China (including Macau and Hong Kong), Taiwan and Korea (Press release, Ziopharm, DEC 19, 2018, View Source [SID1234573334]). TriArm is a cell therapy company with operations in Germany, China and the United States that was formed by Panacea Venture Healthcare, a fund co-founded and managed by James Huang, Managing Partner of Kleiner Perkins Caufield & Byers China (KPCB China).
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For the territory of China, Taiwan and Korea, Ziopharm will license the rights to Eden BioCell for third-generation Sleeping Beauty-generated CAR-T therapies targeting the CD19 antigen. Eden BioCell will be owned 50-50 by Ziopharm and TriArm. TriArm has committed up to $35 million to this joint venture. Under the terms of the agreement, Eden BioCell has rights in the region to CAR-T cells very rapidly manufactured in two days or less using the Sleeping Beauty platform to express a CD19-specific CAR and membrane-bound interleukin-15, or mbIL15, along with a kill switch. Ziopharm CEO Laurence Cooper, M.D., Ph.D., and Panacea Venture Healthcare Managing Director James Huang will serve on Eden BioCell’s Board of Directors and each party will share decision-making authority.
"Since 2017, we have been doing diligence on ways to address the many obstacles that exist in the production and commercialization of CAR-T immunotherapy. Viral-based CAR-T therapies already are facing cost constraints and limited commercial success in U.S. and EU markets due to the expense and complexity in manufacturing, and this problem will be exacerbated in China, with its healthcare system, reimbursement structure and large patient population," said Mr. Huang. "I am excited to be working with Ziopharm’s Sleeping Beauty platform, which, as the most clinically-advanced non-viral approach to genetical modification of T cells, offers the best chance to simplify manufacturing, reduce costs, and most importantly, help the many patients who need access to these T-cell therapies."
"Advancing our Sleeping Beauty platform in the China region is a key part of both our business development and clinical development strategies," said Dr. Cooper. "James Huang has an outstanding track record of creating value in China, and he and the team at TriArm are ideal partners because they have entrenched relationships with front-line physicians and officials at leading hospitals and regulatory bodies, a commitment to conduct high-quality trials, and state-of-the-art facilities with good manufacturing practices."
TriArm will manage all clinical development to execute trials in China for Eden BioCell. The TriArm team has considerable experience in all areas of drug development, including scientific research, clinical and regulatory areas, as well as significant laboratory and manufacturing know-how regarding T-cell therapies.
Griffin Securities, Inc. acted as the financial advisor for Ziopharm for this licensing agreement.
Conference Call
Ziopharm will host a webcast and conference call on Wednesday, Dec. 19, at 8 a.m. ET to discuss this new joint venture. The call can be accessed by dialing 1-844-309-0618 (U.S. and Canada) or 1-661-378-9465 (international). The passcode for the conference call is 3272014. To access live webcast or the subsequent archived recording, visit the "Investors Events and Presentations" section of the Ziopharm website at www.ziopharm.com. The webcast will be recorded and available for replay on the Company’s website for two weeks.