GlaxoSmithKline announced a five-year collaboration with Lyell Immunopharma, a San Francisco biotechnology company. The partnership is intended to develop cell therapies for solid tumors.
The partnership helps to strengthen GSK3377794, which targets NY-ESO-1 antigen, which is commonly expressed in several cancers.
GSK made a statement that the two cell therapies approved are for blood-borne cancers with no engineered T cells available for common solid tumors. GSK expects to maximize its activity with the collaboration to develop T cell therapies for treating solid tumors, which have high unmet need.
The company expected that by “improving the fitness” of T cells and delaying T cell exhaustion, engineered T cells could act against solid tumors.
Dr. Hal Barron, Chief Scientific Officer, and President, R&D, GSK, said “We are witnessing significant scientific innovation in cell and gene therapies, transforming the treatment of some blood-borne cancers, but patients with solid tumors are in need of equally effective treatments. Applying Lyell’s novel approach to counter T cell exhaustion and working with world-class scientists, such as Rick Klausner and his impressive team, increases our probability of delivering the next generation of cancer cell therapies for patients with solid tumors.”
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