Roche and immaticsBiotechnologies and Roche have announced a strategic R&D collaboration covering multiple cancer vaccines and immunotherapeutics.

The agreement will focus on the research, clinical development and commercialization of a number of new tumor-associated peptide (TUMAP)-based cancer vaccine candidates and other immunotherapies in oncology, targeting primarily gastric, prostate and non-small cell lung cancer. The most advanced cancer vaccine candidate covered by the agreement is IMA942, for the treatment of gastric cancer, which is ready for phase I trials. Roche will be responsible for the clinical development and commercialization of all of the immunotherapies generated by immatics as a result of this collaboration.

immaticsalsowill conduct research on behalf of Roche using its XPRESIDENT technology platform to identify novel and relevant TUMAP candidates for the development of cancer vaccines and other compounds targeting cancer peptide antigens, primarily in gastric, prostate and non-small cell lung cancer. The XPRESIDENT discovery platform is the only known high-throughput research technology to directly identify, quantify, and prioritize cancer antigens recognized by T lymphocytes (type of white blood cell) based on the ability of the immune system to detect them.

immaticswill receive an upfront payment of $17 million and committed research funding plus potential milestone payments that could reach $1 billion and royalties across three cancer indications.