Baxalta, Precision BioSciences in Immuno-oncology Alliance

Baxalta and Precision BioSciences have entered a global collaboration to develop a series of allogeneic chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T cell therapies directed towards areas of major unmet need in multiple cancers.

The companies will develop CAR T therapies for as many as six unique targets, with the first program expected to enter trials in late 2017. Precision BioSciences will be responsible for early-stage research activities up to Phase II, after which Baxalta has the exclusive right to opt in for late-stage development and commercialization. Precision BioSciences will receive an upfront payment of $105 million, with additional option fees, development, clinical, regulatory, and sales milestones, potentially totaling as much as $1.6 billion, in addition to royalties on sales. Precision also has the right to participate in the development and commercialization of any licensed products resulting from the collaboration through a 50/50 co-development and co-promotion option in the U.S.

Precision BioSciences’ ARCUS genome editing technology enables the production of CAR T cells derived from healthy donors rather than relying on the patient. This approach aims to overcome the manufacturing-related limitations with existing CAR T therapies and enable a broader range of malignancies to be targeted.

“Collaborating with Precision BioSciences enables Baxalta to accelerate innovation in immuno-oncology with a next-generation, donor-derived CAR T strategy using a proprietary combination of genome editing expertise and technology,” said David Meek, executive vice president and president, Oncology, Baxalta. “Combining Precision BioSciences’ ARCUS technology with Baxalta’s global infrastructure, expertise and growing immuno-oncology portfolio is a synergistic approach that we believe has the potential to make disruptive approaches available to people with a range of underserved cancers.”

“Baxalta is an ideal partner in CAR T for Precision and our ARCUS genome editing platform because of their global reach, collaborative business model, and long-term commitment to succeeding in immuno-oncology,” said Matthew Kane, chief executive officer of Precision BioSciences. “We look forward to working closely with the team at Baxalta to develop novel CAR T therapeutics that could transform the treatment of cancer.”