US-based Lyell Immunopharma announced an agreement to acquire ImmPACT Bio USA, a clinical-stage biotechnology company, to expand its cell therapies pipeline.
ImmPACT Bio’s lead programme, IMPT-314, targets CD19 and CD20.
Nasdaq-listed Lyell Immunopharma will develop IMPT-314 for haematologic malignancies, including large B-cell lymphoma.
In August this year, ImmPACT Bio secured approval for an investigational new drug (IND) application for IMPT-514 to treat adult patients with multiple sclerosis (MS) in the US.
The acquisition is expected to strengthen Lyell Immunopharma’s pipeline of next-generation CAR T-cell therapies.
ImmPACT Bio licensed its dual-targeting CD19/CD20 CAR T-cell product candidate from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).
The ongoing Phase 1-2 clinical trial is a multi-centre, open-label study evaluating the tolerability and clinical benefits of IMPT-314 in patients with relapsed/refractory aggressive B-cell lymphoma.
Lyell plans to initiate a trial for IMPT-314 in 2025. This trial will focus on patients in the third-line setting who have not previously received CAR T-cell therapy.
The American biotechnology company is also prioritising its CAR T-cell programmes after the acquisition to focus on IMPT-314 and LYL119.
Additionally, the company is discontinuing LYL797 and the LYL845 TIL programme due to unmet criteria. The Phase 1 trial for LYL119 in ovarian and endometrial cancer will start soon.
Lyell Immunopharma president and CEO Lynn Seely said: “The emerging data from ImmPACT’s ongoing Phase 1-2 trial and the Phase 1 clinical data from a published UCLA-sponsored trial suggest the potential of IMPT-314 to have improved complete response rates and duration of response compared to the approved CD19 CAR T-cell therapies in CAR-naïve patients with aggressive B-cell lymphoma.”
Upon closing, the American biotechnology firm will acquire worldwide rights to ImmPACT’s pipeline.
This includes a next-generation bispecific CD19/CD20 autologous CAR T-cell therapy, currently in clinical development for B-cell lymphoma and autoimmune diseases.
The deal includes $30m in cash upon closing, along with 37.5 million shares of Lyell common stock.
ImmPACT Bio shareholders may also receive 12.5 million additional shares contingent on achieving a clinical milestone.
The cell therapy firm may also get a low single-digit royalty on future US sales of the CD19/20 CAR T-cell product.
ImmPACT Bio CEO Sumant Ramachandra said: “This transaction validates our novel science and enhances the potential for this therapy to make a meaningful impact on patients’ lives.”
The transaction is expected to close in Q4 of 2024.
