Innate Pharma Announces Collaboration with AstraZeneca for $1.3 Billion

Innate Pharma announced on April 24, 2015 that it signed a co-development and commercialization agreement with AstraZeneca and MedImmune, AstraZeneca’s biologics research and development branch. The agreement will help accelerate and expand the development of Innate’s anti-NKG2A antibody, IPH2201, including its development in combination with MedImmune’s anti-PD-L1 immune checkpoint inhibitor, MEDI4736. IPH2201 is a Phase II, first-in-class humanized IgG4 antibody that inhibits the anticancer functions of natural killer and cytotoxic T cells via NKG2A.

As part of the collaboration, plans have been made to begin Phase II combination trials of IPH2201 and MEDI4736 in solid tumors. Innate is also planning Phase II to study IPH2201 as a monotherapy, in combination with other approved treatments for various cancers, and in the discovery of associated biomarkers. 

Under the terms of the agreement, AstraZeneca will pay Innate up to approximately $1.3 billion in cash and double-digit royalties on sales. An initial payment of $250 million was paid to Innate for the consideration of exclusive global rights to AstraZeneca to co-develop and commercialize IPH2201 in combination with MEDI4736, as well as access to IPH2201 in monotherapy and other combinations. AstraZeneca will pay an additional $100 million to Innate prior to Phase III development, with a potential of additional regulatory and sales-related milestones up to $925 million.

Source: Innate Pharma