T Cell Sciences has signed an agreement in principle with theSwedish company AB Astra to co-develop therapeutics basedon the biotech company's work with T cell antigen receptors.The total agreement could provide T Cell with $32 million inrevenue over the next few years.

In the first phase of the collaboration, over the next 24months, Astra will pay T Cell $15 million to completepreclinical trials and begin clinical testing of threemonoclonal antibodies and one protein immunomodulator, TCell spokeswoman Susan Primrose told BioWorld. The agentsare targeted to treat multiple sclerosis, Crohn's disease andcertain T cell cancers, Primrose said.

"Once safety and efficacy is established" for these compoundsby Phase I tests, Primrose said, "Astra, to retain rights, wouldneed to make payment of $17 million or more."

The companies would share marketing rights, with T Cell asthe manufacturer of any therapeutics that come out of theproject. Details on how the markets would be divided have notyet been finalized, Primrose said. No equity investment isinvolved.

Cambridge, Mass.-based T Cell has pending and issued patentscovering its T cell antigen receptors and related proteins.

Its immunomodulator proteins are identical to regions withinthe receptors that T cells use to recognize antigens. Theproteins, and monoclonal antibodies, will be used to promptthe immune system to destroy specific T cells that areimplicated in the targeted diseases.

T Cell also has an agreement with Smith Kline Beecham todevelop complement blockers, and the company intends to filean investigational new drug application early in 1992 to begintesting these agents in the clinic, Primrose said.

The company's stock (NASDAQ:TCEL), closed at $12.25, up 63cents.

-- Roberta Friedman, Ph.D. Special to BioWorld

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