Cellectis, an expert of allogeneic CAR T cell therapies, has signed a strategic collaboration agreement with Servier, the first independent French pharmaceutical research company, to develop and commercialize novel product candidates targeting leukaemia and solid tumours.

The partnership covers the development and potentially the commercialization of Cellectis’ lead product candidate, UCART19. Engineered allogeneic CD19 T-cells currently stand out as a real therapeutic innovation for treating various types of leukaemias and lymphomas.

The agreement also included research, development, and potentially the commercialization of five other product candidates targeting solid tumours.

Cellectis will be responsible for the R&D of certain product candidates through the end of phase I. Servier may exercise an exclusive worldwide option for a license on each product candidate developed under the agreement. Upon exercising each option, Servier will be responsible for taking over clinical development, registration and commercialization of each product.

The financial terms of the collaboration include an upfront payment of $10 million and up to $140 million for each of the six product candidates potentially developed, spread over various milestones in the development and commercialization phases. In addition, Cellectis will receive royalties on the sales of commercialized products.

Mathieu Simon, MD, senior vice-president at Cellectis stated: “Our alliance with the Servier Research Group is a real recognition of the value of our innovative approach to treating cancer. This partnership will provide Cellectis with substantial revenues to reach our goals in the biopharmaceutical field. Combining Cellectis’ technical expertise with Servier’s scientific, medical and financial resources will create an exciting new alliance to fuel the development of our unique, novel allogeneic cancer therapies, ultimately benefitting many patients around the world.”

Jean Pierre Abastado, head of the Oncology Innovation Centre at Servier, commented, “These original cell-based therapies will well complement Servier’s innovative clinical oncology pipeline, which currently includes immunotherapeutic monoclonal antibodies, an HDAC inhibitor, kinase inhibitors, antiangiogenic and proapoptotic small molecules.”

Emmanuel Canet, president of Servier R&D, stressed that through this partnership, Servier is reinforcing its commitment to provide innovative therapeutic solutions for unmet needs in patients with serious illnesses.