Mesoblast forms three-way cancer R&D tie-up

Cell-based biologics company Mesoblast (ASX:MSB) has joined forces with US-based Ziopharm Oncology and Intrexon in a bid to develop a new class of cancer therapeutics.

The collaboration will aim to combine Mesoblast’s mesenchymal lineage cells (MLCs) with a technology platform from synthetic biology company Intrexon to develop transgene-enabled, cell-based cancer treatments.

The goal is to produce treatments candidates which exhibit both tumour-targeting characteristics and controlled gene expression.

Ziopharm, a cancer-focused biopharmaceutical company, will equally fund the project with Mesoblast and contribute to the development.

Mesoblast CEO Silviu Itescu said initial R&D will concentrate on using Intrexon’s RheoSwitch Therapeutic System (RTS) and UltraVector platforms to design and optimise therapeutic gene expression in MLCs to mediate an anticancer effect against lung cancer.

“If this complex cell plus transgene approach is successful for lung cancers, the technology will be explored for the treatment of other cancers,” he said.

If the project is successful, the companies plan to form a joint venture to advance development of any treatment candidates.

Intrexon Senior Vice-President of Health Dr Samuel Broder said combining RTS-regulated transgenes and cell-based therapies could produce a treatment capable of simultaneously attacking lung cancer cells in two dimensions.

“The first is through the delivery of the modified MLCs to the lung tissue. The second is through ... RheoSwitch technologies in which therapeutic transgenes are expressed under the control of a small molecule activator, permitting MLCs to deliver antitumour proteins to sites where they are needed. Delivery plus expression and regulation should prove to be a powerful combination.”

Mesoblast (ASX:MSB) shares were trading 1.36% higher at $5.97 as of around on 1.30 pm on Thursday.