Genentech dives into mRNA, betting $310M on BioNTech's personalized cancer vaccine tech
Genentech is tapping into the promise of messenger RNA for building personalized cancer vaccines. The giant Roche subsidiary is partnering with Germany’s BioNTech on its individualized cancer therapies, promising $310 million in near-term payouts to collaborate on a combo with its newly approved checkpoint inhibitor Tecentriq (atezolizumab).
In this deal, BioNTech will contribute its personalized cancer vaccine platform spotlighting unique neoantigens that can be identified in a cancer patient’s tumors, a trendy new target of drug developers like Gritstone, Moderna and Neon Therapeutics. Phase I studies are slated to begin next year.
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