LEBANON, N.H.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--ImmuNext, Inc., today announced that it has entered into an agreement with F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd and Hoffmann-La Roche Inc. (Roche) focused on the development of novel therapeutics that modulate the immune system for the treatment of inflammation and autoimmune diseases.
Under the terms of the agreement, ImmuNext will grant Roche a worldwide, exclusive license to develop and commercialize therapeutics that agonize the V-region immunoglobulin-containing suppressor of T-cell activation (VISTA) signaling pathway. VISTA is a negative checkpoint regulator.
Potential payments to ImmuNext under the agreement include payments for achieving certain preclinical, development and commercial milestones, which could total more than $400 million. ImmuNext is also eligible to receive tiered royalties up to double digits on sales of products.
ImmuNext and Roche will collaborate pre-clinically to develop therapeutics that agonize VISTA. Roche will be responsible for clinical development as well as ford commercialization of all products under the agreement.
“VISTA is a powerful immunoregulatory molecule that negatively regulates immunity and is critical for limiting autoimmune disease in pre-clinical models. VISTA agonists that amplify the negative regulatory function of VISTA are potentially first in a class of antibody therapies suitable for the treatment of a wide spectrum of human inflammatory diseases. VISTA agonists hold promise in treating patients with resistance to current standard of care,” stated Jay Rothstein, Ph.D, ImmuNext’s Vice President of Research and Development.
“We are excited about this collaboration which will help to develop innovative therapies to improve the lives of patients suffering from autoimmune diseases,” commented David DeLucia, ImmuNext’s chief executive officer.
The ImmuNext technology is based on discoveries made in Dr. Randolph Noelle’s labs at the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth College. Dr. Noelle is co-founder and CSO of ImmuNext.
About ImmuNext
ImmuNext develops immunomodulatory therapeutics for the treatment of cancer and autoimmune diseases. Our first therapeutic, a VISTA antagonist, was licensed to Janssen. Our pre-clinical pipeline includes a CD40L antagonist, a bispecific CD40 agonist for neo-antigen cancer vaccines, and therapies that target a transporter to modulate immune cell metabolism.