AMGEN and MD Anderson Cancer Center announced a research collaborative agreement focusing on Amgen’s bispecific T cell engager antibody constructs, an immunotherapy that serves as a bridge between T cells and cancer cells.
The research agreement will identify targets for this therapy in myelodysplastic syndrome patients, and provides for joint development of new agents under pre-determined terms. Amgen retains all commercial rights, while MD Anderson is eligible to receive milestones and royalties upon successful achievement of key objectives.
BiTE antibody constructs are recombinant proteins consisting of two separate antibodies held together by a flexible peptide linker or bands of amino acids. The antibodies are designed to function as a link between T cells and cancer cells. One antibody or protein domain binds to the cancer cell’s surface, while the other binds to the CD3 on the T cell, resulting in the malignant cell’s death.
