AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) has entered into a collaboration agreement with Umoja Biopharma, a US-based company specializing in next-generation in-situ CAR-T cell therapies. Under the partnership, the two companies will develop up to four programs targeting selected cancer therapies chosen by AbbVie. AbbVie has also secured an exclusive option to license several of Umoja’s CD19-directed candidates, including an early-stage lead program aimed at hematologic malignancies.
In return for providing its innovative technology, Umoja has received an undisclosed sum in upfront payments and equity investments. The company may also be eligible to receive up to USD 1.44 billion in exercise fees and milestone payments, in addition to sales royalties.
Umoja’s proprietary platform utilizes a third-generation lentiviral vector equipped with a novel T-cell targeting complex. This technology enables the delivery of genetic payloads directly to T-cells in vivo, allowing patients to produce their own CAR-T cells. This groundbreaking approach bypasses the traditional need for lymphocyte collection, ex vivo cell modification, and subsequent re-administration.- Flcube.com
