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Servier and Vernalis Achieve Research Milestone in 2nd Oncology Collaboration

On October 25, 2010 The Servier Research Group and Vernalis reported they have achieved a research milestone in their three year oncology drug discovery collaboration initiated in May 2009 (Press release, Servier, OCT 25, 2010, View Source [SID:1234508828]). This is the second collaboration between Servier and Vernalis, the first collaboration is focused on developing two promising oncology targets involved in protein-protein interactions.

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Emmanuel Canet, MD, PhD, President Servier Research and Development, added: "We are very satisfied with this collaboration reaching an important milestone on a truly innovative oncology target. This is a step further in our aim to finalise the discovery of innovative compounds with potential use in therapeutic indications with high unmet medical need. Cancer represents a major cause of mortality worldwide and Servier is committed to providing patients with novel therapeutic approaches for treating this devastating disease.
Vernalis is an English biotech company which has a high-level technical background and recognised expertise in research and development.

Cancer Research UK and immatics biotechnologies launch trial for brain cancer vaccine

On October 19, 2010 Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Technology – the charity’s development and commercialisation arm – together with immatics biotechnologies, reported that they have launched the first clinical trial of a promising cancer vaccine to treat glioblastoma, one of the most common forms of brain cancer* (Press release, Cancer Research Technology, OCT 19, 2010, View Source [SID1234523330]).

The treatment IMA950, is a vaccine developed specifically for glioblastoma which is an aggressive form of glioma. The vaccine will direct and boost the body’s immune system to enable it to fight cancer. The vaccine will be used together with the standard treatments of surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy.

IMA950 contains 11 peptides – strings of amino acids – that are found on the surface of glioblastoma tumours but not on the surface of healthy cells. These peptides when incorporated into the vaccine ‘train’ T cells in the immune system to recognise cancer cells as unhealthy cells – and then to target and destroy them.

Using a large number of peptides compared with a small number increases the chance of a beneficial immune response.

The launch of the trial is the result of Cancer Research UK’s innovative Clinical Development Partnerships (CDP) scheme.

CDP is a joint initiative between Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office and Cancer Research Technology, to put drugs that otherwise cannot be developed by pharmaceutical companies through early phase clinical trials. Trials of experimental drugs such as this may have not been possible without this initiative, which strives to deliver the latest potential treatments to cancer patients – and increase survival.

Up to 45 patients newly diagnosed with this form of glioma will take part in this first trial of IMA950 and receive a number of doses of the vaccine.

The trial, is taking place at the Beatson West of Scotland Cancer Centre in Glasgow and up to four other hospitals yet to be confirmed across the UK. The trial has been set up through Cancer Research UK’s Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre network and it will be managed by the charity’s Drug Development Office (DDO).

Under the terms of the partnership, Cancer Research UK is funding the trial and after the trial, immatics biotechnologies will have an option to further develop and commercialise the drug in exchange for future payments to the charity.

Nigel Blackburn, director of drug development at Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office, said: "It’s really great news that we have launched this trial for a vaccine which could boost the current treatment for brain cancer.

"Our scientists are working at the cutting edge of the field to find new and powerful ways to treat cancer. Using the immune system to fight cancer is an exciting area of research and something we are heavily investing in as a promising way to treat a broad range of cancers."

Dr Ian Walker, Cancer Research Technology’s licensing manager, said: "This is a truly collaborative deal between our world-class scientists and immatics biotechnologies to ensure promising therapeutic programmes reach patients."

Harpreet Singh, CSO of immatics said: "We are delighted to have joined forces with Cancer Research UK and the University of Glasgow to fight brain cancer. It is pleasing to see that the very first patients have now begun treatment with IMA950 – this is a major step on a path to create a highly innovative new treatment for this deadly disease."

Professor Roy Rampling, from the University of Glasgow who will lead the study nationally said: "One of the hardest parts of my job is telling someone they have brain cancer.

"Glioblastoma can be challenging to treat because there are limited options for therapy – there’s a real need for new treatments for this disease."

ImmunoGen, Inc. Announces Collaboration for Rights to Use ImmunoGen’s TAP Technology

On October 11, 2010 (BUSINESS WIRE) — ImmunoGen, Inc. (Nasdaq: IMGN) reported that it has entered into a collaboration agreement with Novartis to discover and develop targeted anticancer therapeutics using antibodies to several antigen targets to be named by Novartis (Press release, ImmunoGen, OCT 11, 2010, View Source [SID:1234515014]).

Under this agreement, Novartis will pay a $45 million upfront fee to ImmunoGen for exclusive rights to use the Company’s Targeted Antibody Payload (TAP) technology with antibodies to the specified number of antigen targets. For each target that results in an anticancer therapeutic, ImmunoGen is entitled to receive milestone payments potentially totaling $200.5 million plus royalties on product sales, if any. The Company also is entitled to receive financial compensation for research and for any manufacturing done on behalf of Novartis. Novartis is responsible for the development, manufacturing, and marketing of any products resulting from this agreement.

"ImmunoGen has a valuable technology, and we’re committed to developing our own pipeline of anticancer therapeutics," commented Daniel Junius, President and CEO of ImmunoGen. "Our partnerships provide funding support for our internal product programs and further development of our technology. We plan to continue to establish new collaborations on a selective basis."

About ImmunoGen’s Targeted Antibody Payload (TAP) Technology

ImmunoGen developed its TAP technology to achieve more effective, better tolerated anticancer drugs. A TAP compound consists of a tumor-targeting manufactured antibody with one of ImmunoGen’s proprietary, highly potent cancer-killing agents attached as a payload. The antibody serves to deliver the payload specifically to tumor cells, and the payload serves to kill these cells.

ImmunoGen’s technology portfolio uniquely provides:

A selection of highly potent cancer-killing payload agents;
A selection of stable linkers for attachment of these agents to antibodies; and
Means of attaching the payload to the antibody that retain the desired structural and functional properties of the antibody.

Seven TAP compounds are now in clinical testing through ImmunoGen’s own product programs and those of its partners.

Jubilant Organosys Is now Jubilant Life Sciences

On October 1, 2010 Jubilant Organosys Limited, headquartered in India, reported that the company name has been changed to Jubilant Life Sciences Limited with immediate effect (Press release, Jubilant Life Sciences, OCT 1, 2010, View Source;pgid=74&pressid=41 [SID:1234510525]).

Jubilant Life Sciences is an integrated pharma and life sciences company offering Life Sciences products and services to the global life sciences industry. It is the largest Custom Research and Manufacturing Services Company and a leading integrated drug discovery and development solutions Company out of India.

Commenting on the development, Shyam S Bhartia, Chairman & Managing Director and Hari S Bhartia, Co-Chairman & Managing Director of Jubilant Life Sciences Ltd said:
"In order to create a focused Life Sciences Entity, the Company’s name is being changed to Jubilant Life Sciences Ltd. It is a moment of great pride as we cross another milestone on the path of our evolution into an integrated pharma and life sciences company. Almost a decade ago we had stepped onto this path of transformation and today we have successfully positioned ourselves as a life sciences company with a presence across the value chain."

The Company’s success so far is an outcome of its strategic focus on the pharma and life sciences industry, moving up the value chain for products and services across geographies, constantly investing in various growth platforms and promoting a culture of innovation. With 11 world-class manufacturing facilities and a team of ~ 6000 multicultural people across the globe, the Company is committed to deliver value for its customers spread across 65 countries.

With this change Jubilant Life Sciences becomes the flagship Company of pharma and life sciences business of the Jubilant Bhartia Group which also has interests in Food and Retail, Oil and Gas and Aerospace.

Cancer Research UK and AstraZeneca sign deal to trial first-of-kind cancer drug

On September 13, 2010 Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Technology – the charity’s development and commercialisation arm – reported to have reached an agreement with AstraZeneca to take compound AZD-3965 – a first-of-its-kind experimental drug to potentially treat a range of cancers- into clinical trial (Press release, Cancer Research Technology, SEP 13, 2010, View Source [SID1234523331]).

AZD-3965 targets the monocarboxylate transporter 1 (MCT1)* which is essential in cell metabolism. Blocking this transporter limits cancer cells’ ability to generate energy, and decreases their ability to survive. The drug is ready to be taken into early phase clinical trials.

It is the sixth treatment to enter Cancer Research UK’s Clinical Development Partnerships (CDP) scheme**.

CDP is a joint initiative between Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office and Cancer Research Technology, to progress promising anti-cancer agents which pharmaceutical companies do not have the resources to progress through early phase clinical trials.

The deal with AstraZeneca will enable the charity’s Drug Development Office to carry out early clinical trials of the compound to see if it can benefit cancer patients.

Dr Ian Walker, licensing manager for clinical partnerships at Cancer Research Technology, said: "It is fantastic to see a drug from our CDP programme progressing toward a clinical trial to be tested as a potential new treatment for cancer patients.

"This clinical trial simply would not have been possible without the CDP initiative and it demonstrates how Cancer Research UK and Cancer Research Technology can work with industry to develop anti-cancer drugs that would otherwise remain on companies’ shelves. We will continue to work to set in place future similar agreements with industry with the aim of licensing more drugs to provide new treatments for patients."

Les Hughes, global vice president of cancer research at AstraZeneca, said: "AstraZeneca is committed to the discovery and development of new, targeted anti-cancer therapies to improve the lives of cancer patients but if we are going to be successful in delivering new treatments for cancer patients, it will be important for charities, academics and industry to work collaboratively.

"Working with CRT will enable a compound with a very exciting mechanism to be evaluated in patients using Cancer Research UK’s extensive clinical network. We look forward to this collaboration adding a new dimension to AstraZeneca’s pipeline which contains a number of promising candidates already in development."

Cancer Research UK will fund the Phase I/IIa clinical trial of up to 60 patients to start in 2011. The trial will be managed by its Drug Development Office. The lead clinical trial centre will be Newcastle’s Cancer Research UK Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre Network,*** led by Professor Ruth Plummer.

Under the terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca can decide if they wish to develop the drug further based on the clinical trial data results at the end of the Phase I/IIa trial. If it chooses not to, the rights will be given to Cancer Research Technology to secure an alternative partner and ensure the drug has every possible chance of reaching patients. In either case, the charity will receive a share of any future revenues generated by the drug.

Professor Ruth Plummer, study lead at the Newcastle Experimental Cancer Medicine Centre, said: "It is incredibly exciting to have the opportunity to run a trial of a completely new type of potential drug to treat patients across a range of different cancers.

"We hope to recruit the first patient soon – and it is thanks to the generosity and time of these patients that it is possible to develop new treatments to potentially treat thousands of patients in the future."

Dr Nigel Blackburn, director of drug development at Cancer Research UK’s Drug Development Office, said: "One of Cancer Research UK’s key aims is to boost the number of new treatments for cancer patients.

"Our strong links with industry have enabled us to make great progress by launching this clinical trial of a promising compound that without this partnership may have remained on a shelf gathering dust."