Optieum Biotechnologies Inc., and GI CELL (HQ: Seongnam, Korea / CEO: Dr. Chun Pyo Hong) has entered into a Research License and Option Agreement on chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-NK Cell Therapy.
The Research License and Option Agreement will aim to generate novel CAR-NK cells with GI CELL’s CAR-NK technology platform and Optieum’s novel scFv antibodies against hematological tumor targets.
Optieum Biotechnologies has a proprietary platform to identify functional scFv/CAR constructs that enhance therapeutic efficacy against the target of interest. Whereas, GI CELL has developed an NKPUREExpander® platform that generates superior NK cells with high efficiency, safety, as well as manufacturability.
Under the terms of the agreement, GI CELL will receive a license option. Upon exercise of the option, Optieum will receive an upfront option exercise fee and milestone payments upon the successful achievement of certain development milestones. In addition, Optieum is eligible to receive royalties on future sales of products that arise from the license.
“We are pleased to enter this collaboration with Optieum Biotechnologies as we continue unlocking the full potential of our NKPURE Expander® platform,” said Dr. Chun Pyo Hong, CEO of GI CELL. “We look forward to evaluating the scFv antibodies from Optieum Biotechnologies’ discovery platform, which have the potential to accelerate the development of our novel CAR-NK cells.”
“We have been dedicated to expanding the toolbox to enable immune cell-based therapies in cancer treatment, through our proprietary Eumbody System. Optieum Biotechnologies’ strength in discovery of functional and improved scFvs in conjunction with GI CELL’s expertise in NK cell engineering and manufacturing may lead to a generation of promising cellular immunotherapy for unmet medical needs,” said Shun Nishioka, CEO of Optieum Biotechnologies.
About GI CELL
GI CELL is a biotechnology company that drives research and development of novel immune cell-based therapies with innovative technologies. Using its proprietary Immune CellPURE Expander® platform for highly potent NK and T cell development, GI CELL has integrated its ancillary material screening and cell expansion technologies to streamline the entire cell product development process. The Company is advancing its allogenic NK cell therapies to transform the treatment paradigm for patients with hematological malignancies and solid tumors. GI CELL has multiple NK cell product candidates in IND-enabling and preclinical development.
For more information, please visit https://www.gi-cell.com/en/.
About Optieum Biotechnologies
Optieum Biotechnologies is a biotechnology company with a platform engine to elicit functional and improved scFvs for CAR-T cell and CAR-NK therapies with superior anti-tumor toxicity and persistence. Optieum Biotechnologies’ scFv generation platform, Eumbody System, enables to acquire the scFv from the CAR-T cell’s functionality perspective rather than conventional binding affinity approach. The company is advancing multiple CAR-T cell product candidates targeting hematological malignancies and solid tumors which demonstrate significantly improved anti-tumor toxicity, proliferation capacity and mitigated antigen depletion.
For more information, please visit https://optieumbio.com/
