ThromboGenics and BioInvent Announce a Strategic Alliance With Roche for TB-403, a Novel Anti-Cancer Antibody

ThromboGenics NV (Leuven, Belgium) and BioInvent International AB (Lund, Sweden) have entered into a license agreement with Roche (Basel, Switzerland) for their jointly developed anti-cancer agent TB-403. TB-403 is a novel monoclonal antibody, which blocks placental growth factor (PIGF), one of the growth factors responsible for the development of new blood vessels.

TB-403 is a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks the formation of new blood vessels that are needed by solid tumors to support their growth. It has the potential to minimize both the growth and spread of cancer cells.

TB-403 (anti-PIGF) has completed an initial Phase 1 clinical trial and recently received approval to enter a Phase 1b dose escalation trial. This Phase 1b trial will be conducted in patients with advanced cancer and is due to commence shortly in Denmark.

Under the terms of the license agreement, Roche will pay ThromboGenics and BioInvent an upfront payment of €50 million. Roche will have a worldwide, exclusive license to develop and commercialize TB-403. ThromboGenics and BioInvent will retain co-promotion rights for the product in the Benelux, Baltic, and Nordic regions.

Roche will assume responsibility for all future development costs for this novel therapy, including the costs of the pending Phase 1b trial in patients to be run by ThromboGenics and BioInvent. Roche will also provide funding to ThromboGenics and BioInvent for research on non-cancer indications and supply of clinical material until transfer of manufacturing.

ThromboGenics release (PDF)