Immatics Enters Strategic Partnership With Genmab

Immatics Biotechnologies GmbH, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company active in the discovery and development of T-cell redirecting cancer immunotherapies, recently announced it has entered into a research collaboration and license agreement with Genmab A/S to develop next-generation, T-cell engaging bispecific immunotherapies targeting multiple cancer indications.

The companies will conduct joint research, funded by Genmab, to combine Immatics’ XPRESIDENT and Bispecific TCR technology platforms with Genmab’s proprietary antibody technologies to develop multiple bispecific immunotherapies in oncology. The companies will exclusively discover and develop immunotherapies directed against three proprietary targets, which were discovered and developed by Immatics’ XPRESIDENT technology. Genmab has the option to exclusively license up to two additional targets to expand the partnership at predetermined economics.

Genmab will be responsible for development, manufacturing and worldwide commercialization. Immatics will have an option to contribute certain promotion efforts at predetermined levels in selected countries in the EU.

Under the terms of the agreement, Immatics will receive an upfront fee of $54 million and is eligible to receive up to $550 million in development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments for each product and tiered royalties up to a double-digit percentage of net sales.

 Carsten Reinhardt, MD, PhD, Chief Medical Officer and Managing Director of Immatics, said “We are very pleased to join forces with one of the world-leading biotechnology companies to develop and advance novel and highly active cancer therapeutics. This collaboration underpins Immatics’ leadership in intracellular tumor target identification and T-cell receptor engineering.” Dr. Reinhardt further said: “Our bispecific TCR technology exhibits exceptional potency and favourable pharmacokinetic properties by combining Immatics’ proprietary T-cell engaging format with our high-affinity and highly specific T-cell receptors as reported at AACR 2018.”

“This collaboration with Immatics gives us the opportunity to combine our unique technologies and expertise to create differentiated novel next-generation therapies. We very much look forward to this exciting partnership in the field of cancer immunotherapy,” added Jan van de Winkel, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of Genmab.

Bispecific T-cell receptor (TCR) molecules are biologics that leverage the body’s immune system by redirecting and activating the T-cell response towards cancer cells expressing specific tumor targets. Immatics’ best-in-class bispecific TCR molecules are soluble fusion proteins that have two binding domains: an affinity-maturated and highly selective TCR domain that recognizes and binds to a tumor-specific peptide target presented in the context of HLA class I receptor, and a T-cell recruiting antibody domain directed against CD3 or other immuno-modulating T-cell surface proteins. The design of these novel biologics allows T cells to become activated and attack the tumor, regardless of the T cells’ intrinsic specificity.

 Immatics is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company active in the discovery and development of T-cell redirecting immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer. The Companies’ transformative product candidates are ‒ best in class ‒ Adoptive Cell Therapies and Bispecific TCR molecules. These products are directed against tumor targets that have been identified and validated by Immatics’ proprietary and world-leading XPRESIDENT technology.

XPRESIDENT is the most sensitive, unbiased and high-throughput technology capable of identifying targets in virtually any type of cancer and any HLA type. Together with Immatics’ powerful TCR discovery technology, these two platforms allow a full range of cancer therapies to be developed.

Immatics’ pipeline includes T-cell therapy programs based on the proprietary ACTolog, ACTengine and ACTallo approaches, which are developed in collaboration through Immatics US with University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center and co-funded by the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas (CPRIT), and several bispecific TCR and antibody molecules.

Operating from Tuebingen, Munich and Houston, the Company has recognized that novel, better and safer targets are the key to developing future cancer immunotherapies and it is Immatics’ mission to deliver the power of T cells to cancer patients.

 Genmab is a publicly traded, international biotechnology company specializing in the creation and development of differentiated antibody therapeutics for the treatment of cancer.  Founded in 1999, the company has two approved antibodies, DARZALEX (daratumumab) for the treatment of certain multiple myeloma indications, and Arzerra (ofatumumab) for the treatment of certain chronic lymphocytic leukemia indications.  Daratumumab is in clinical development for additional multiple myeloma indications and other blood cancers.  A subcutaneous formulation of ofatumumab is in development for relapsing multiple sclerosis.  Genmab also has a broad clinical and pre-clinical product pipeline.  Genmab’s technology base consists of validated and proprietary next generation antibody technologies – the DuoBody platform for generation of bispecific antibodies, and the HexaBody platform which creates effector function enhanced antibodies. The company intends to leverage these technologies to create opportunities for full or co-ownership of future products. Genmab has alliances with top tier pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies.