MD Anderson and Kymab announce research and development strategic partnership in immuno-oncology

The alliance seeks to discover and develop novel human therapeutic antibodies to treat a variety of cancers. Kymouse, Kymab’s human antibody discovery platform with unparalleled diversity as it yields molecules with highly attractive drug-like properties, is able to rapidly identify and enrich rare high-quality antibodies that can be explored and developed as novel therapeutics.

"The agreement will use each partner’s complementary skills, resources and capabilities to develop innovative new drugs for cancer. The collaboration will couple Kymab’s industry-leading antibody platform, in-house discovery and development experience with MD Anderson’s novel target biology, clinical datasets, translational and clinical infrastructure to develop products to clinical proof-of-concept and for ultimate submission for FDA approval. The collaboration will focus on developing novel monoclonal antibodies and identifying biomarkers for identification of responder populations. The agreement is for an initial period of five years," read a statement issued by MD Anderson.

“Partnerships accelerate progress and together Kymab and MD Anderson bring power and skills in a partnership committed to efficiency and speed in delivering novel immunotherapies through the use of world-class science. Immuno-oncology is an exceptionally promising field of research and a key focus for Kymab,” said David Chiswell, chairman and CEO of Kymab.

“These are exciting times for the development of monoclonal antibodies for cancer immunotherapy,” said Carlo Toniatti, M.D., Ph.D., executive director of ORBIT. “This alliance presents a great opportunity to leverage our translational and clinical expertise, and develop innovative antibody drugs vital to helping patients with their fight against cancer."

ORBIT (Oncology Research for Biologics and Immunotherapy Translation) platform is a novel organization located within MD Anderson with the mission of making MD Anderson a recognized leader in the discovery and development of novel monoclonal antibodies.

The ORBIT team focuses on combining scientific excellence with industry standards and is committed to accelerate and execute the translation of novel discoveries into clinically relevant anti-cancer mAbs. ORBIT’s scientific directors are Jeffrey J. Molldrem, M.D., professor of Stem Cell Transplantation and Cellular Therapy and Michael Curran, Ph.D., professor of Immunology.