Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies and PhotonPharma have established a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for collaboration to develop Innocell, a novel tumour specific immunotherapy (a therapeutic vaccine) for solid tumours, which can help improve the speed to market for treatment.
To help in the cancer immunotherapy development process, PhotonPharma is using Terumo’s Mirasol (R) Pathogen Reduction Technology (PRT) in the manufacturing process. The initial agreement authorises PhotonPharma to reference the Device Master File (DMF) on record with the FDA for the Mirasol system. This DMF will then support the PhotonPharma regulatory submission for its Innocell therapeutic vaccine technology. Additionally, Terumo will supply Mirasol illuminators and single-use sets for the immunotherapy preparation process used in the clinical trial.
PhotonPharma developed its technology to be differentiated from other therapeutic cancer vaccines in its potential to preserve solid tumour antigens, cell metabolism and protein translation while also potentially achieving inactivation of cellular replication.
This MOU is the first part of a longer-term collaboration to advance PhotonPharma’s Innocell. The collaboration focuses on the development, regulatory approval and future commercialisation of PhotonPharma’s Innocell vaccine. PhotonPharma is currently preparing an Investigational New Drug (IND) submission related to a Phase I clinical trial targeting triple-negative breast cancer.
“This agreement to work together with Terumo increases the potential to advance a new therapy for patients suffering from a variety of solid tumour malignancies including breast cancer,” said Dr Gary Gordon, former Divisional Vice President of Abbvie Oncology and PhotonPharma board member.
Antoinette Gawin, President and Chief Executive Officer of Terumo Blood and Cell Technologies, said: “For Terumo, strategic collaborations increase the potential speed to market and decrease development costs of therapies. This will enable patients to benefit from therapies earlier. Contributing toward the development and commercialisation of Innocell enables Terumo to contribute toward the next potential major medical breakthrough.”
Image description: T-cell attaching to cancer cell, illustration: T lymphocyte (orange) attached to a cancer cell (blue), illustration. T lymphocytes are a type of white blood cell that matures in the thymus. Certain kinds of T lymphocytes can recognize specific sites (antigens) on the surface of cancer cells or pathogens and bind to them. They can then destroy the cancer cells, or signal for other immune system cells to eliminate them. The genetic changes that cause a cell to become cancerous lead to the presentation of tumor antigens on the cell’s surface.
