“Hot and cold tumors may need different types of immunotherapy,” Jay Berzofsky told the audience as the American Association for Cancer Research’s (AACR) 2024 annual meeting kicked off this weekend. In an educational session on cancer vaccines, Berzofsky, who is head of the National Cancer Institute’s Molecular Immunogenetics and Vaccine Research section, explained that when immunotherapy fails in hot tumors, it fails despite the existence of an immune response, due to an immunosuppressive microenvironment.
A vaccine based on messenger RNA (mRNA) technology against four surface proteins of the envelope and the inner membrane of the mpox virus (MPXV) demonstrated its efficacy in two animal models. Biontech SE scientists designed and tested two different combinations of antigens in mice and macaques for the two infective forms of the virus. One of them showed better results for its evaluation in clinical trials preventing the disease.
Autolus Therapeutics Inc. has picked up plenty of financial momentum, about $600 million worth, in its runup to a November 2024 PDUFA date for its CD19 CAR T therapy. Helping propel that momentum is Biontech SE, another CAR T therapy developer. For $50 million cash, Biontech bought the rights to use Autolus’ manufacturing and commercial infrastructure in the U.K. so it can advance its CAR T-cell BNT-211 program in the clinic.
Biontech SE and Duality Biologics Co. Ltd. have progressed BNT-323/DB-1303 to pivotal phase III trials, beginning in China in patients with hormone receptor-positive and HER2-low metastatic breast cancer.
Three months out from its first $1 billion deal with Biontech SE for an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), Suzhou, China-based Medilink Therapeutics Co. Ltd. clinched another potential $1 billion ADC deal, but this time with Roche Holding AG.
Three months out from its first $1 billion deal with Biontech SE for an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), Suzhou, China-based Medilink Therapeutics Co. Ltd. clinched another potential $1 billion ADC deal, but this time with Roche Holding AG.
The Nobel Prize-winning modification that prevents the innate immune system from recognizing injected mRNA as foreign and blocking transcription of the protein it encodes has been found on some occasions to cause ribosomal frameshifting.
Demand for its COVID-19 vaccine might be declining, but Biontech SE is putting its revenue to good use, picking up rights to a bispecific antibody candidate from Biotheus Inc. in exchange for $55 million up front and potentially more than $1 billion in development, regulatory and sales milestones.
Demand for its COVID-19 vaccine might be declining, but Biontech SE is putting its revenue to good use, picking up rights to a bispecific antibody candidate from Biotheus Inc. in exchange for $55 million up front and potentially more than $1 billion in development, regulatory and sales milestones.
Researchers from Biontech SE and Genmab BV presented the discovery and preclinical evaluation of a novel Duobody-EpCAMx4-1BB (BNT314/GEN1059), a novel Fc-inert immunomodulatory bispecific antibody (bsAb) designed to boost antitumor immune responses through EpCAM-dependent 4-1BB agonistic activity.