Joint project to investigate T cell Targets

A new three-year collaboration between leading researchers at the University of Southampton and BioInvent International are working on immunotherapy treatments for cancer by targeting regulatory T cells (T regs). Led by Professor Mark Cragg, Experimental Cancer Research and Director of the Cancer Pathway Integrated Postgraduate Programme at Southampton and also involving Professor Martin Glennie and Dr Stephen Beers, the project will build on previous clinical successes of antibodies to so called T cell checkpoint inhibitors.

 BioInvent’s F.I.R.S.T.™ platform will generate the T cell depleting antibodies for testing  and evaluation in the University’s unique in vitro and in vivo models. The company will have the option to license any promising results and both parties will contribute to intellectual property generation under the agreement.

Professor Cragg commented: “We look forward to building on the strength of our collaborative relationship with BioInvent, which should allow us to remain at the cutting edge of antibody immunotherapy for the benefit of cancer patients worldwide.  Both clinical and preclinical data suggests that depletion of T regs can result in efficient anti-tumour T cell responses and tumour eradication. However, current T cell targeting therapeutic antibodies and checkpoint inhibitors were developed based on their abilities to block inhibitory signals. Novel, as yet unidentified targets with broad expression on regulatory T cells in different cancers, such as melanoma, lung cancer etc and antibody formats with superior T reg depleting activity may have greater activity.

 “We are especially pleased to be undertaking this additional research collaboration with the team at the University of Southampton.  This esteemed research centre and its renowned clinicians are experts in the fields of immunology and oncology and are at the forefront of unlocking the potential of therapeutic antibodies,” said Björn Frendéus, PhD, Chief Scientific Officer of BioInvent and honorary Professor at the University of Southampton.