Janssen Partners up with Legend Biotech to Develop Anti-Cancer Therapy
Johnson & Johnson’s Janssen Biotech has now entered into a worldwide collaboration and license agreements with China’s Legend Biotech to develop, manufacture and commercialize a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell drug candidate, LCAR-B38M, which specifically targets the B-cell maturation antigen (BCMA).
“Despite significant advances, multiple myeloma remains an incurable disease for most patients, creating the need for additional, highly active options. LCAR-B38M provides an innovative approach with the potential to transform the treatment of myeloma,” said Peter F. Lebowitz, M.D., Ph.D., Global Therapeutic Area Head, Oncology, Janssen Research & Development, LLC. “We look forward to collaborating with the pioneering scientific team at Legend and applying our expertise to the development of this cell therapy, with the goal of building regimens aiming for a cure.”
Under the deal, Legend gives Janssen, J&J’s biotech unit, a worldwide license to jointly develop and commercialize LCAR-B38M in multiple myeloma with the Legend team. Janssen will record worldwide net trade sales, except for sales made in Greater China.
The companies have entered into a 50-50 cost-sharing/profit-split arrangement, except in Greater China, where Janssen and Legend have a 30-70 cost-sharing/profit-split arrangement. The biotech gains $350 million straightaway, with
biobucks and royalties coming down the line, although details on exact figures were not shared.LCAR-B38M is a type of bi-epitope Chimeric Antigen Receptor T cell (CAR-T) immunotherapy developed by Legend Biotech Corporation. Autologous T cells isolated from patients can be genetically engineered to express bi-epitope chimeric antigen receptors on their surface, so that allows the autologous T cells to specifically recognize and bind the two epitopes on BCMA molecule that is a biomarker of Multiple Myeloma (MM). Therefore the autologous genetically engineered T cells are able to specifically identify and kill the MM cancer cells.
LCAR-B38M has already been accepted for review by the China Food and Drug Administration (CFDA), putting it in pole position for approval in the world’s most populous country, and a pharma market of growing importance.
“We are pleased to enter into a partnership with Legend to gain access to their CAR-T platform, an important future therapeutic modality for Janssen,” says Mathai Mammen, M.D., Ph.D., Global Head, Science & Development, Janssen Research & Development, LLC. “Legend is an innovative biotech company that has developed a differentiated CAR-T therapy, which has shown promising results in early-stage multiple myeloma trials conducted in China. We are excited to bring Janssen’s global expertise in drug development to advance this innovation into potential new treatment options for patients around the world.”