Innate Pharma In-licenses OREGA Biotech's Anti-CD39 Checkpoint Inhibitor Program

(RTTNews) - Innate Pharma (IPHYF.PK) and OREGA Biotech announce that they have entered into an exclusive licensing agreement by which OREGA Biotech grants Innate Pharma full worldwide rights to its program of first-in-class anti-CD39 checkpoint inhibitors. This license agreement arose from a fruitful research collaboration between the two companies initiated in 2014.

CD39, initially discovered as a checkpoint inhibitor by OREGA Biotech's cofounder Dr. Armand Bensussan in collaboration with INSERM, is expressed on both regulatory T cells and tumor cells. It plays a major role in promoting immunosuppression through the pathway degrading adenosine triphosphate (ATP) into adenosine. Within the tumor microenvironment, ATP promotes immune cell-mediated killing of cancer cells. In contrast, adenosine accumulation causes immune suppression and dysregulation of immune cell infiltrates resulting in tumor spreading.

Blockade of CD39 may therefore stimulate anti-tumor immunity across a wide range of tumors by preventing the production of adenosine and by promoting the accumulation of ATP in the tumor microenvironment. OREGA Biotech's program to develop a CD39-blocking antibody thus aims at restoring a pro-inflammatory micro-environment. It is currently in preclinical development.

Under the terms of the agreement, OREGA Biotech will receive undisclosed upfront payment, milestone payments for preclinical, clinical and regulatory achievements as well as royalties on net sales.