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Agreements

Date: 2011-06-07

Type of information: R&D agreement

Compound: in vivo diagnostic imaging agent using an antibody targeting Oxford Biomedica’s proprietary 5T4 tumour antigen

Company: Oxford BioMedica (UK) ImaginAb (USA - CA)

Therapeutic area: Cancer - Oncology

Type agreement:

R&D

Action mechanism:

The 5T4 tumour antigen is a unique protein found on most common types of solid cancer. It is potentially a valuable target for novel anti-cancer interventions given its restricted expression in normal tissues and its high prevalence on the surface of both primary and metastatic cancerous cells. The 5T4 tumour antigen was identified through research into the similarities between the development of the placenta during pregnancy and the progression of cancer. 5T4 is produced by both cancerous cells and also by placental and foetal cells, suggesting that the process of immunological escape in pregnancy and cancer is based on similar mechanisms.

Disease: solid tumours

Details:

Oxford BioMedica plc has signed a research collaboration agreement with ImaginAb, Inc., a biotechnology company specialising in the development of engineered antibody fragments for diagnostic imaging and novel therapeutic applications, to engineer an in vivo diagnostic imaging agent using an antibody targeting Oxford BioMedica’s proprietary 5T4 tumour antigen. ImaginAb plans to develop an in vivo diagnostic imaging agent for positron emission tomography (PET), a nuclear medicine imaging technique that produces a three-dimensional image of functional processes in the body, which will initially be applied to ovarian cancer imaging. TroVax® is Oxford BioMedica’s 5T4-specific therapeutic vaccine candidate which is in Phase II development. In collaboration with Pfizer, pre-clinical evaluation of Oxford BioMedica’s 5T4-targeted antibody therapy is on-going to optimise the product for clinical development.

Financial terms:

Following proof-of-concept, the agreement includes an option for ImaginAb to negotiate an exclusive license for commercialisation of an in vivo 5T4-based imaging diagnostic. On that basis, Oxford BioMedica could receive proceeds of up to US$4 million in initiation and development milestone payments, in addition to royalties on product sales, subject to the achievement of certain programme objectives.

Latest news:

* On November 29, 2012, Oxford BioMedica has announced that ImaginAb has exercised its option to acquire an exclusive worldwide licence for commercialisation of an in vivo 5T4-based imaging diagnostic. Following the initiation of the companies’ research collaboration in 2011, ImaginAb has successfully re-engineered Oxford BioMedica’s anti-5T4 antibody into a smaller protein format with kinetics suitable for in vivo diagnostic imaging of tumours expressing the 5T4 antigen.  5T4 represents an important target for therapeutics and diagnostics in oncology given its restricted expression in normal tissues and its high prevalence on both primary and metastatic tumours.  ImaginAb is preparing to initiate clinical development of the 5T4 in vivo diagnostic in 2013. Under the terms of the agreement, Oxford BioMedica will receive an upfront option exercise payment and could receive proceeds up to a total of $4 million in initiation and development milestone payments, in addition to royalties on product sales, subject to the achievement of certain programme objectives.

Is general: Yes