AbbVie, Umoja Biopharma Set CAR-T Cell Therapies Collaboration

By Colin Kellaher

AbbVie has struck a pair of exclusive option and license agreements with clinical-stage biotechnology company Umoja Biopharma aimed at developing new chimeric antigen receptor T-cell, or CAR-T, cancer therapy candidates.

AbbVie on Thursday said the companies plan to develop multiple in-situ generated CAR-T cell therapy candidates using Umoja's proprietary VivoVec platform.

AbbVie said it made upfront payments and an equity investment in Umoja, which is eligible to receive up to $1.44 billion for option exercise fees, development and regulatory milestones, along with additional sales-based milestones and royalties on sales.

AbbVie said it has an exclusive option to license Umoja's CD19 directed in-situ generated CAR-T cell therapy candidates, including Umoja's lead clinical program for hematologic malignancies, which is currently at the IND-enabling phase.

The companies also plan to develop up to four additional candidates for discovery targets selected by AbbVie, based in North Chicago, Ill.

Write to Colin Kellaher at [e-mail]

(END) Dow Jones Newswires

January 04, 2024 09:14 ET (14:14 GMT)

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