immatics biotechnologies GmbH and Roche have announced a strategic research and development collaboration covering multiple cancer vaccines and immunotherapeutics.
The agreement will focus on the research, clinical development and commercialisation of a number of new tumour-associated peptide (TUMAP)-based cancer vaccine candidates and other immunotherapies in oncology, targeting primarily gastric, prostate and non-small cell lung cancer. The most advanced cancer vaccine candidate covered by the agreement is IMA942, for the treatment of gastric cancer, which is ready for phase I trials. Roche will be responsible for the clinical development and commercialisation of all of the immunotherapies generated by immatics as a result of this collaboration.
In parallel with the clinical development of IMA942 by Roche, immatics will conduct research on behalf of Roche using its unique XPRESIDENT® technology platform to identify novel and relevant TUMAP candidates for the development of cancer vaccines and other compounds targeting cancer peptide antigens, primarily in gastric, prostate and non-small cell lung cancer. The XPRESIDENT® discovery platform is to date the only known high-throughput research technology to directly identify, quantify, and prioritize cancer antigens recognized by T lymphocytes (type of white blood cell) based on the ability of the immune system to detect them.