NEW YORK – Oxford Biomedica on Tuesday said it has expanded a license and supply agreement with Cabaletta Bio focused on developing targeted cell therapies for autoimmune diseases.
Last year, the two firms inked a multiyear supply agreement under which Cabaletta, a Philadelphia-based biotech, garnered a nonexclusive license to use Oxford Biomedica's LentiVector platform within its chimeric autoantibody receptor T program, DSG3-CAART. The autologous CAR T-cell therapy involves genetically engineering patients' T cells to express the DSG3 autoantigen, which directs T cells to recognize and eradicate deleterious B cells. The company is evaluating DSG3-CAART in a Phase I trial as a treatment for mucosal pemphigus vulgaris, a B cell-mediated autoimmune disease.
In expanding their agreement, Cabaletta can use UK-based Oxford Biomedica's platform for its CD19-targeted CAR T-cell therapy CABA-201. The US Food and Drug Administration has cleared two investigational new drug applications, allowing Cabaletta to start a Phase I/II trial for CABA-201 in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis, and another Phase I/II study in patients with myositis.
The companies didn't disclose specific financial details of the licensing and supply agreement, but under the terms of the deal, Oxford Biomedica will receive an undisclosed upfront payment and additional payments for developing and manufacturing lentiviral vectors that Cabaletta uses in its drug trials. Oxford Biomedica is also entitled to development and regulatory milestone payments and royalties on net sales of products that use its LentiVector platform.