NeoImmuneTech, a Kosdaq-listed biotech firm, said on Tuesday it would provide its cancer immunotherapy candidate NT-17 to Imugene, an Australian immuno-oncology company, to conduct a study combining NT-I7 with the latter’s CAR-T cell therapy, Azer-cel.

Initially, NeoImmuneTech will supply NT-17 at no cost. Upon confirmation of NT-17's efficacy in the combination study, NeoImmuneTech intends to offer NT-I7 for a fee. The company aims to make NT-I7 available to as many companies as possible.

However, the exact value of the agreement has not been disclosed.

Imugene is developing various clinical-stage immunotherapies to activate the immune system of cancer patients and has a pipeline that includes Azer-cel, oncolytic viral therapy CF33, and B-cell-based immunotherapy candidates.

In November 2022, NT-I7 demonstrated its efficacy in a phase 2a clinical trial with 53 patients. When used in combination with pembrolizumab, NT-I7 enhanced T-cell fitness in heavily pretreated subjects with gastrointestinal tumors.

Also, NT-I7 was granted orphan drug designation by the FDA for acute radiation syndrome (ARS) in November. 

ARS is a condition where exposure to high doses of radiation reduces essential cells like lymphocytes and platelets, elevating the risk of death. 

NeoImmuneTech said NT-I7 is effective in patients with lymphopenia, such as those with ARS.

Imugene strategically develops Azer-cel, aiming for a swift market launch with ample clinical data showcasing its safety in indications like lymphoma and hematologic cancers.

"We are very excited to collaborate with NeoImmuneTech to increase the potential efficacy of Azer-cel," said Leslie Chong, CEO of Imugene.

Yang Se-hwan, CEO of NeoImmuneTech said NT-I7 has shown encouraging results in multiple indications in immuno-oncology and infectious diseases.

"We believe that collaborating with Imugene, a leading player in allogeneic cell therapy, will substantially broaden the potential of NT-I7 and expedite its commercialization," Yang said.

NeoImmuneTech began investing in the supply of NT-I7 in the middle of this year and has signed six supply agreements with companies in the U.S. and Australia to date.