Boehringer Ingelheim, 3T Biosciences Join Forces to Develop Next-Generation Cancer Immunotherapies
It is intended to identify the most prevalent and immunogenic targets in solid tumors by uniquely combining high-diversity target libraries with active machine learning.
Boehringer Ingelheim and 3T Biosciences announced on Jan. 13, 2023 that they have entered into a strategic collaboration and licensing agreement to discover and develop next-generation cancer therapies to address high unmet patient needs.
The partnership is meant to unite 3T Biosciences’ best-in-class 3T-TRACE (T-Cell Receptor Antigen and Cross-Reactivity Engine) discovery platform with Boehringer Ingelheim’s two-pronged research strategy combining cancer cell-directed and immune cell-targeting compounds, further strengthening the pipeline.
The platform from 3T platform aims to address this challenge by identifying novel shared T-cell receptor (TCR) targets of productive immune responses and comprehensively screening TCRs and TCR mimetics for specificity and off-target cross-reactivities. It is intended to identify the most prevalent and immunogenic targets in solid tumors by uniquely combining high-diversity target libraries with active machine learning. This could lead to tumor-specific, safer therapies that can be delivered at high doses.
“At Boehringer Ingelheim, we are committed to transforming patients’ lives. Through our new partnership with 3T Biosciences, we aim at accelerating and expanding our pipeline of first-in-class T-cell based therapies for patients affected by cancer,” said Lamine Mbow, PhD, global head of Cancer Immunology + Immune Modulation, Boehringer Ingelheim, in a press release.
Stefan J. Scherer, MD, PhD, president and CEO of 3T Biosciences, added that 3T’s 3T-TRACE discovery platform has the potential to transform the treatment of cancers and beyond. “By using data from patients for patients we aim to discover the best immunogenic targets for multiple tumor indications and across patient populations,” he said in a press release.
The agreement notes that Boehringer Ingelheim will provide patient-derived TCR data to fuel 3T’s target discovery efforts to identify antigens using its 3T TRACE discovery platform. Additionally, 3T will receive an upfront payment and research and development support, while still being eligible for discovery, preclinical, clinical, regulatory, and commercial milestones for a total of $268 million and royalties on future Boehringer Ingelheim product sales.
Source: Boehringer Ingelheim
