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news.Scottish biotechnology firm TC BioPharm (TCB) and Japanese immuno-cell therapy company Medinet have entered into a strategic collaboration to develop a new treatment for different types of cancer.
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Under the deal, Medinet will license its new cell therapy technology to TC Biopharm for clinical development in the UK and Europe.
The deal and subsequent commercialization is supported by Scottish Development International (SDI), the international arm of Scotland’s enterprise agencies, with a £500,000 regional selective assistance grant.
TCB’s technology involves using patients’ own immune cells grown in culture to target cancer, and is claimed to have safely treated patients in Japan.
The UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has given scientific advice to TCB providing a clear way to carry out the clinical trials.
Under the guidance of the University of Glasgow professor Jeff Evans, the company will work with established cancer clinics in Glasgow and Southampton and will treat first patients in early 2015.
Clinical trials for new therapies are conducted in three phases, Phase I aims to establish safety of the product being developed; Phase II establishes the optimum dose; and Phase III aims to establish effectiveness of the treatment in a statistically significant manner.
Medinet chief executive officer Kunihiko Suzuki said it is encouraging to have an excellent business partner in the UK, headed by Dr Michael Leek, who has a well established reputation in the biotechnology and regenerative medicine industry.
"Over the next few years I believe our partnership with TC BioPharm will successfully obtain marketing approval of this exciting immuno-cell therapy for cancer patients in the UK and Europe," Suzuki said.
Along with equity finance from Medinet and Scottish investors, TCB has an initial funding commitment of £1.3m, with additional investment expected to support further clinical trials.
TCB is working with Scottish Enterprise (SE), via its account management approach, to assist the company’s strategic business planning, investment strategy and international growth opportunities through SDI.