• AMAL’s first-in-class proprietary KISIMA® platform leverages peptide/protein-based vaccination technology
• AMAL will remain at the campus of the University of Geneva in Switzerland and operate as a subsidiary within Boehringer Ingelheim
INGELHEIM AM RHEIN, Germany & GENEVA-Monday 15 July 2019 [ AETOS Wire ]
Unlike prophylactic vaccines that immunize a patient to prevent an infection before it occurs, therapeutic vaccines combat existing diseases. Anti-cancer therapeutic vaccines carry antigens, pieces of protein that also are in tumors. By presenting antigens to the patient’s immune system, a vaccine can prompt tailor-made responses, including activation of killer T cells that target the tumor and can boost memory immunity to reduce the risk of relapse.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20190715005351/en/
(BUSINESS WIRE) --
Boehringer Ingelheim today announced its acquisition of all shares of
AMAL Therapeutics SA, a private Swiss biotechnology company focused on
cancer immunotherapy and advancing first-in-class therapeutic cancer
vaccines derived from its technology platform KISIMA. AMAL’s lead
vaccine ATP128 is currently developed for stage IV colorectal cancer and
is slated to begin first-in-human trials later this month. Boehringer
Ingelheim plans to develop new therapies by combining assets from its
cancer immunology portfolio with AMAL’s proprietary KISIMA immunization
platform.
“Acquiring
AMAL is part of Boehringer Ingelheim’s long-term strategy to enhance
our existing position as an innovator of novel cancer therapies,
including immuno-oncology treatments, which leverage cutting-edge
scientific discoveries and their applications,” said Michel Pairet,
member of Boehringer Ingelheim’s Board of Managing Directors with
responsibility for the company’s Innovation Unit. “We want to pioneer
new paradigms of biology-based care for cancer patients, and the
technologies and expertise developed at AMAL are critical to our
efforts.”
The
total transaction could amount up to EUR 325 million, and is comprised
of an upfront payment as well as contingent clinical, development and
regulatory milestones plus up to EUR 100 million if certain commercial
milestones are hit.
“I
am extremely proud of the hard work of AMAL’s entire team, which is
validated by this acquisition, and very excited to further develop the
KISIMA technology platform within Boehringer Ingelheim,” said Madiha
Derouazi, Ph.D., Founder and Chief Executive Officer of AMAL
Therapeutics. “Our new relationship with Boehringer Ingelheim will
enable us to realize the full potential of our KISIMA platform to fight
solid cancers while preserving AMAL’s approach to biotechnology research
and our scientific and academic networks. Moreover, sharing resources
and capabilities in clinical development will greatly help us to move
ATP128 and other assets forward.”
Boehringer
Ingelheim’s Cancer Immunology group is built to discover therapies that
engage triggering of immune responses against non-inflamed, “cold”
tumors, which represent a large group of cancer types refractory to many
treatments, including checkpoint inhibitor drugs. Immune targeting of
cold tumors is a particular challenge. AMAL’s KISIMA vaccine technology,
designed to stimulate potent immune responses, is a promising
therapeutic option for patients with these type of cancers.
The
AMAL acquisition, along with that of the 2018 acquisition of Vira
Therapeutics (Vira-T) and in-license of OSE Immunotherapeutics’
SIRP-alpha targeting antibody, significantly strengthens Boehringer
Ingelheim’s strategic focus on immune cell-directed therapies. By
combining its world-class in-house research and development with that of
highly innovative biotechnology companies, Boehringer Ingelheim is
developing innovative immuno-oncology therapies and accelerating the
delivery of the next-generation of cancer treatments.
AMAL
is headquartered on the medical campus of the University of Geneva,
from which it was spun-out in 2012, with financial backing from a
syndicate of both corporate and institutional investors, including the
Boehringer Ingelheim Venture Fund and High-Tech Gründerfonds as the
initial seed investors. Additional investments were provided by VI
Partners, Helsinn Investment Fund, BioMed Partners and Schroder Adveq.
AMAL’s technology platform and derived products are protected by a broad
portfolio of patents and licenses.
KISIMA
Unlike prophylactic vaccines that immunize a patient to prevent an infection before it occurs, therapeutic vaccines combat existing diseases. Anti-cancer therapeutic vaccines carry antigens, pieces of protein that also are in tumors. By presenting antigens to the patient’s immune system, a vaccine can prompt tailor-made responses, including activation of killer T cells that target the tumor and can boost memory immunity to reduce the risk of relapse.
AMAL’s
proprietary technology platform KISIMA enables the assembly of three
functional components into one patented fusion protein used as a
vaccine: First, a proprietary cell-penetrating peptide for antigen
delivery; second, a proprietary toll-like receptor (TLR) peptide agonist
as an adjuvant, and third, a multi-antigenic cargo that can be tailored
for specific indications.
Please click on the link for Notes to Editors and References:
http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/acquisition-amal-therapeutics
http://www.boehringer-ingelheim.com/press-release/acquisition-amal-therapeutics
Contacts
Media Contacts:
Boehringer Ingelheim
Linda Ruckel
Associate Director, Media and Corporate Reputation
Boehringer Ingelheim U.S.
Media + PR
P: + 203-791-6672
linda.ruckel@boehringer-ingelheim.com
Dr. Reinhard Malin
Head of Communications Innovation Unit
Boehringer Ingelheim Corporate Center GmbH
Media + PR
press@boehringer-ingelheim.com
P: +49 6132 77-90815
M: + 49 151 150 20 690
www.boehringer-ingelheim.com
AMAL Therapeutics SA
Laurence de Schoulepnikoff
Chief Business Officer
Tel: +41 (0) 22 379 46 88 contact@amaltherapeutics.com
Instinctif Partners (for International and English-speaking media)
Dr. Christelle Kerouedan
Tel: +44 (0) 207 457 2020 amaltherapeutics@instinctif.com
No comments:
Post a Comment