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news.Intrexon and ZIOPHARM Oncology have partnered to develop immunotherapies for the treatment of graft-versus-host disease (GvHD) in cancer patients.
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GvHD is a complication that can occur after a stem cell or bone marrow transplant. The newly transplanted donor cells attack the transplant recipient’s body.
Under the new exclusive channel collaboration (ECC), the companies will address the underlying pathologies of GvHD via engineered cell platforms for expressing and providing interleukin-2 (IL-2), a cytokine critical for modulation of the immune system.
Intrexon and ZIOPHARM intend to undertake engineered cell therapy approaches, used either separately or in combination, for targeted treatment of GvHD.
The initial approach includes infusion of regulatory T cells conditionally expressing IL-2 utilizing Intrexon’s gene control strategies such as the company’s RheoSwitch platform.
The second approach is deployment of orally-delivered microbe-based ActoBiotics therapeutics expressing IL-2 for modulating immune function.
The companies aim to expand on the benefits of IL-2 immunotherapy under Intrexon’s technologies for generating clinical-grade Tregs that can offer IL-2.
ZIOPHARM CEO Laurence Cooper said: "The combined expertise and the knowledge gained from our current research programs with Intrexon in adoptive T-cell therapies and cytokine modulation for treatment of cancer, position us well to develop and implement therapeutic approaches addressing an area of high unmet medical need for patients with GvHD."
Intrexon will receive a technology access fee of $10m and reimbursement for research and development costs. The companies will equally share operating profits.