SATT Nord and H-Immune, an emerging biotech company dedicated to developing innovative immunotherapies for the treatment of various cancers, announce the signing of a licensing agreement granting H-IMMUNE exclusive rights to develop and commercialize a new therapeutic strategy based on monoclonal antibodies designed to reactivate the immune system by blocking galectin-9.
An immunosuppressive factor belonging to the family of immune checkpoints that have brought about a paradigm shift in oncology therapies, Galectin-9 has a unique dual-pathway mode of action, acting simultaneously to neutralize the effector phase of the immune response involving CD4 T cells, while increasing the tolerance phenomena modulated by regulatory T cells. Overexpressed in cancer patients, Galectin-9 thus acts by affecting patients' defense systems while promoting immune system countermeasures that allow tumor cells to escape. Described in numerous articles published in international journals as being associated with a poor prognosis in many solid tumors, Galectin-9 represents a prime therapeutic target for new immuno-oncology treatment strategies.
Driven by a leading collaboration between Dr. Nadira Delhem's team at the Lille Institute of Biology and Dr. Pierre Busson's team at the Gustave Roussy Institute, researchers have developed new antibody candidates that inhibit the suppressive activity of regulatory T cells while restoring the immune system's activity against tumors through the reactivation of the T-CD4 effector pathway. With unparalleled therapeutic potential, similar to anti-PD1 antibody therapies, this new anti-Galectin-9 approach could be a new first-line treatment for a wide variety of cancers.
"SATT Nord has done remarkable work in validating the novelty and secrecy of the therapeutic target, ensuring intellectual property (IP) protection for this new drug candidate. Its support and financial commitment as part of the maturation program has enabled the laboratory to provide in vitro and in vivo proof of concept for the efficacy of our adjuvant immunotherapy," said Nadira Delhem.
This innovation received the "Best Project Addressing an Unmet Medical Need" award from the MATWIN International Board in 2015, giving it visibility among manufacturers and players in the healthcare sector, including Luc Boblet, biotech entrepreneur, co-founder, and CEO of the start-up H-Immune.
"I am delighted with this exclusive licensing agreement, which was executed swiftly and professionally by SATT Nord. This agreement will enable us to exploit the full potential of such a promising target as Galectin-9 through the pharmaceutical development of antibody candidates initially developed by researchers at IBL and IGR, ultimately delivering the most innovative treatments possible to the patients who need them most," said Luc Boblet, co-founder and CEO of H-IMMUNE.