WuXi Biologics, Medigene partner on T cell engagers for cancer

WuXi Biologics, a global contract research, development, and manufacturing organization (CRDMO), has entered into a partnership with MediGene to develop TCR-guided T cell engagers (TCR-TCEs) aimed at treating difficult-to-manage tumors. This collaboration, spanning three years and targeting multiple objectives, focuses on designing and jointly researching TCR-TCEs to offer new therapeutic options.

Dr. Chris Chen, CEO of WuXi Biologics, emphasized the strategic importance of this partnership, noting that it will bolster their research service capabilities within their CRDMO business model. He highlighted the company’s dedication to helping global partners accelerate the discovery and development of novel therapies by leveraging WuXi Biologics' cutting-edge technologies and dependable services.

The collaboration combines the strengths of both companies. MediGene brings to the table its advanced TCR generation capabilities, known for being sensitive, specific, and safe (3S). On the other hand, WuXi Biologics contributes its anti-CD3 monoclonal antibody (mAb) and its robust platforms—TCE and WuXiBody. The WuXiBody platform is particularly noteworthy as it addresses barriers in discovery and CMC (chemistry, manufacturing, and controls), which can potentially shorten the development timeline by six to 18 months and significantly cut down on manufacturing costs.

The WuXiBody platform is engineered for high expression yield, solubility, stability, and ease of purification to ensure homogeneity. This platform allows for the assembly of nearly any monoclonal antibody sequence pairs into bispecific constructs. These constructs are expected to exhibit a low risk of immunogenicity and a longer in vivo half-life. The platform’s structural flexibility is another key feature, permitting the creation of various formats with different combinations of valencies to meet a wide range of biological target requirements.

Selwyn Ho, CEO of MediGene, expressed confidence in MediGene’s renowned capabilities in generating top-tier 3S TCRs for TCR-T cell therapies. He believes these capabilities can also be extended to non-cellular modalities. Ho expressed his excitement about partnering with WuXi Biologics, given their validated anti-CD3 mAb and leading TCE platform, along with WuXiBody. He noted that this partnership aligns with MediGene’s strategy to apply its TCRs to new modalities, such as TCR-TCEs, aiming to provide additional value beyond traditional TCR-T therapies. This approach holds promise not only for patients but also for shareholders.

In summary, the partnership between WuXi Biologics and MediGene aims to leverage the complementary strengths of both organizations to advance the development of innovative therapies for hard-to-treat tumors. By combining MediGene’s advanced TCR generation capabilities with WuXi Biologics’ robust technological platforms, the collaboration seeks to accelerate the development process, reduce costs, and create new therapeutic options that can provide significant benefits to patients and stakeholders alike.