Immunotherapy Company TC BioPharm Partners with Trinity College Dublin to Develop V Delta 1 γδ T Cell-based Cancer Treatments
Clinical programme scheduled to commence late 2019
25 Feb, 2019, 09:00 GMT
GLASGOW, Scotland, Feb. 25, 2019 /PRNewswire/ -- TC BioPharm (TCB) today announced it is collaborating with Dublin's Trinity College to accelerate in-house production of V delta 1 γδ T cell banks for treatment of solid tumors.
The collaboration with Dublin's School of Medicine, Trinity College, will leverage extensive experience gained by Dr Derek Doherty related to the biology and culture expansion of V delta 1 γδ T cells. Dr Doherty and his research group will work with TCB's in-house GMP (Good Manufacturing Practice) team to develop a range of V delta 1 products with initial focus on EBV-related cancer.
Over the next 12 months TCB will manufacture GMP-compliant V delta 1s which will be combined with the Company's proprietary allogeneic CAR-T platform to generate next-generation therapies to treat a wide-range of different cancer types. Initial clinical studies are planned for late 2019.
TC BioPharm works with clinical centers of excellence to treat cancer patients in London, Leeds, Cardiff, Manchester, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Oxford and Prague. Employing over 80 members of staff, the UK-based company has premises in Glasgow, Edinburgh, the Netherlands and Japan. Clinical-grade product is manufactured in-house from TCB's GMP-compliant cell and gene processing unit in Scotland.
Commencing operations in 2014, TCB has grown rapidly due to extensive, unrivaled cell therapy experience leveraged by its two founders, Dr Michael Leek and Angela Scott. Described as a "pioneer in regenerative medicine", and active in the sector since 1989, Dr Leek has taken ten different cell therapies to the clinic including the first allogeneic cell-based therapy to undergo multinational phase 3 clinical evaluation. Angela Scott has an equally impressive pedigree as one of the pioneering scientists that created 'Dolly the Sheep' in 1996, she was also part of the team that clinically developed the world's first-in-man allogeneic stem cell treatment for stroke patients.
TCB's chief operating officer, Angela Scott, said: "It's a pleasure to be working alongside Dr Doherty in Dublin – Derek and his team have provided us with an enormous opportunity to fast-track our V delta 1 research into GMP manufacture and subsequent treatment of cancer patients."
Dr Derek Doherty, Associate Professor and Head of Immunology at Trinity College commented: "This collaboration with TC BioPharm gives us an opportunity to translate our basic research on V delta 1 γδ T cells into immunotherapies for cancer and infectious disease."
"At TCB, we believe in the vast potential for V delta 1 T cells to significantly improve cancer patient health and quality of life," said Dr Michael Leek, TCB's Chief Executive. "This collaboration builds upon our strategy to maintain position as the leader in clinical development of therapeutic gamma delta T cells."
About TC BioPharm
TC BioPharm is a biotechnology company developing a platform of CAR-T immuno-oncology products which involve expansion of gamma-delta T cells to formulate treatments for a wide variety of hematological and solid tumor types. The company aims to develop and commercialize innovative cell-based products to tackle disease and improve patient quality of life.
TCB is registered in Scotland (SC 453579). In January 2015, TCB's cell therapy manufacturing facility at Maxim Park, Glasgow was awarded a Manufacturer's Authorisation for Investigational Medicinal Products MIA (IMP) which permits GMP manufacture and release of Advanced Therapy Medicinal Products (ATMPs) for use in clinical trials. Further to obtaining an MHRA manufacturing license, TCB was granted a Clinical Trial Authorisation (CTA) by the MHRA in September 2015 to commence clinical evaluation of gamma-delta T cell therapies.
About Trinity College Dublin, the University of Dublin
Trinity College Dublin holds a global position as one of the leading universities in the world. Established in 1592, it is consistently ranked in the top 100 world universities by the QS World University Rankings, and is the highest-ranking university in Ireland. Cutting edge research, technology and innovation places the university at the forefront of higher education in Ireland and globally. With 17,000 students, Trinity College Dublin encompasses all major academic disciplines, and is committed to world-class teaching and research across the range of disciplines in the arts, humanities, engineering, science, social and health sciences. It is Ireland's leading university across all international rankings, and is ranked 71st place worldwide and in the top 25 in Europe in the recent QS World University Rankings 2014. The Strategy for Innovation and Entrepreneurship launched in 2013 includes a new integrated approach to innovation and entrepreneurship education for the whole university that permeates the activities of Trinity's 24 academic schools, as well as integrating its flagship research institutes.
SOURCE TC BioPharm