Full Press Release Details
Exercises Exclusive Worldwide Licensing Option with Cellectis for
UCART19, an Allogeneic CAR-T Cell Therapy
Hematological Malignancies
Also Enters Into Exclusive Global License and Collaboration Agreement
with Pfizer to Co-Develop and Commercialize Therapy
NEW YORK & SURESNES, France--(BUSINESS WIRE)--November 18,
2015--Regulatory News:
Cellectis (Alternext:ALCLS; Nasdaq:CLLS) and Servier today announced
that they signed an amendment to their existing collaboration agreement
from February 2014 especially for UCART19, a TALEN
gene-edited allogeneic Chimeric Antigen Receptor T-cell (CAR-T)
immunotherapy. Under this amendment, Servier early exercises its option
to acquire the exclusive worldwide rights to further develop and
commercialize UCART19, which is about to enter Phase 1 development for
chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and acute lymphoblastic leukemia
In addition, Pfizer Inc. (NYSE: PFE) and Servier have entered into an
exclusive global license and collaboration agreement to co-develop and
commercialize UCART19. Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer and
Servier will work together on a joint clinical development program for
UCART19 and share development costs. Pfizer will be responsible for
potential commercialization of UCART19 in the United States, and Servier
will retain marketing rights in countries outside the United States.
Pfizer's collaboration with Servier on UCART19 is distinct from the
collaboration with Cellectis that Pfizer announced in June 2014, which
did not include UCART19.
UCART19 utilizes Cellectis' proprietary, allogeneic approach to develop
CAR-T therapies that engineer T-cells from non-patient donors for use in
multiple patients. This is different from autologous approaches, which
engineer a patient's own T-cells.
Cellectis will receive from Servier a payment of $38.2 million upon
signature. In addition, Cellectis is eligible for over $300 million of
milestone payments, R&D financing, and royalties on sales from Servier,
based on annual net sales of commercialized products. Financial terms
for the Servier agreement with Pfizer were not disclosed.
"Servier's early option exercise is a strong recognition of the
potential value of UCART19 for patients, as the first allogeneic CAR-T
therapy expected to move into clinical development that utilizes
Cellectis' TALEN gene editing technologies," said
Dr. Andr Choulika, Ph.D., chairman and chief executive officer of
Cellectis. "Cellectis aims to provide cancer patients with highly
innovative best-in-class allogeneic CAR-T therapies across all
geographies, and we are proud to collaborate on this license agreement
with Servier and Pfizer to foster access for patients."
"The partnership between Pfizer and Servier is a major step in the
development of UCART19 and our ambition to provide innovative drugs for
patients in oncology, as it has been envisioned by Servier's president,
Olivier Laureau," said Emmanuel Canet, M.D., president, Research and
Development at Servier.
"This collaboration on the development of the UCART19 asset builds on
Pfizer's position in the CAR-T space and our growing portfolio of
investigational immuno-oncology assets, which is a major priority for
our oncology business," said Mikael Dolsten, M.D., Ph.D., president,
Worldwide Research and Development at Pfizer. "This work with Servier
and Cellectis underscores our companies' shared commitment to developing
unique cancer therapies that may benefit patients around the world."
Cellectis is a biopharmaceutical company focused on developing
immunotherapies based on gene-edited CAR T-cells (UCART). The company's
mission is to develop a new generation of cancer therapies based on
engineered T-cells. Cellectis capitalizes on its 15 years of expertise
in genome engineering - based on its flagship TALEN
products and meganucleases and pioneering electroporation PulseAgile
technology - to create a new generation of immunotherapies. CAR
technologies are designed to target surface antigens expressed on cells.
Using its life science-focused, pioneering genome-engineering
technologies, Cellectis' goal is to create innovative products in
multiple fields and with various target markets. Cellectis is listed on
the Nasdaq market (ticker: CLLS) and on the NYSE Alternext market
(ticker: ALCLS). To find out more about us, visit our website: www.cellectis.com.
Talking about gene editing? We do it.
TALEN is a registered trademark owned by the Cellectis
Servier is an independent French-based pharmaceutical company with a
strong international presence in 145 countries. It employs more than
Its development is driven by the pursuit of innovation in the
therapeutic areas of cancer, cardiovascular, metabolic, central nervous
system, psychiatric, bone, muscle and joint diseases.
In 2014, the company recorded a turnover of 4 billion euros.
28% of this turnover was reinvested in Research and Development.
Pfizer Inc.: Working together for a healthier world
At Pfizer, we apply science and our global resources to bring therapies
to people that extend and significantly improve their lives. We strive
to set the standard for quality, safety and value in the discovery,
development and manufacture of health care products. Our global
portfolio includes medicines and vaccines as well as many of the world's
best-known consumer health care products. Every day, Pfizer colleagues
work across developed and emerging markets to advance wellness,
prevention, treatments and cures that challenge the most feared diseases
of our time. Consistent with our responsibility as one of the world's
premier innovative biopharmaceutical companies, we collaborate with
health care providers, governments and local communities to support and
expand access to reliable, affordable health care around the world. For
more than 150 years, Pfizer has worked to make a difference for all who
rely on us. To learn more, please visit us at www.pfizer.com.
PFIZER DISCLOSURE NOTICE
The information contained in this release is as of November 19, 2015.
Pfizer assumes no obligation to update forward-looking statements
contained in this release as the result of new information or future
events or developments.
This release contains forward-looking information about UCART19 and a
license and collaboration agreement between Pfizer and Servier to
co-develop and commercialize UCART19, including their potential