GenScript Biotech and T-MAXIMUM Biotech have formed a strategic collaboration to develop T-MAXIMUM’s CAR-T cell therapy using GenScript’s CRISPR nucleic acid reagents.
GenScript will provide various CRISPR reagents to support the development of the universal CAR-T products from discovery to commercialisation.
T-MAXIMUM Biotech hopes to progress multiple products to the Phase II clinical research stage and deliver products to market within the next five years.
Dr Shang Xiaoyun, CEO of T-MAXIMUM, said: “Gene editing reagents are crucial raw materials for the quality and efficacy of our products. We are confident that this collaboration will accelerate the regulatory processes in China and the United States, expediting T-MAXIMUM’s first product pipeline to benefit patients in need as soon as possible.”
Dr Li Hong, VP of R&D and manufacturing at GenScript, said: “While CAR-T cell therapies have made remarkable strides in haematological tumours, addressing the unmet need for solid tumours remains crucial. We look forward to the further achievements of T-MAXIMUM Biotech’s cell therapy products – and to bringing good news to more patients.”
T-MAXIMUM’s universal CAR-T cell therapy product, MT027, is being developed for the treatment of recurrent high-grade gliomas. It uses the CRISPR system and electroporation RNP technology to knock out the TRAC and HLA genes, eliminating GVHD and TCR receptor signal interference and prolonging the survival time of CAR-T cells in the body.
In February of this year, MT027 obtained FDA orphan drug designation certification. Clinical research data presented at the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) showed a disease control rate (DCR) of 100%, objective response rate (ORR) of 42.9%, and a 12-month survival rate after relapse of 85.7%.
Edited by Diana Spencer, Senior Digital Content Editor, Drug Discovery World
