South Korean biotechnology company Y-Biologics and French pharmaceutical company Pierre Fabre are planning a strategic partnership to explore cancer immunotherapies. The announcement took the form of a written letter of intent signed by both parties. The decision is to be sealed with a detailed agreement in the coming months. The cooperation is planned for three years, with the option of an extension for a further two years.

Y-Biologics specializes in monoclonal antibody research. The Pierre Fabre Group is the second-largest pharmaceutical laboratory in France. The two partners want to pool their expertise in order to identify and develop new monoclonal antibodies for cancer therapy that target central immunosuppressive mechanisms in solid tumors.

It has been found that in the microenvironment of such growths there are important cellular components that help the tumour suppress the body's immune response. This is where immunotherapies for cancer come in: They reactivate the immune system in a targeted manner so that it can destroy the tumour cells. The partnership between Pierre Fabre and Y-Biologics aims to provide patients with novel forms of therapy. The basis for this is formed by monoclonal antibodies designed for therapy. With this, the researchers want to reprogram some cell types so that they stimulate and/or restore the immune system's defense reactions against the tumour.

The collaboration provides for Y-Biologics to manufacture monoclonal antibodies for therapy and diagnosis on the basis of its display platforms for human antibodies - for central molecular building blocks that Pierre Fabre has previously identified. Pierre Fabre brings his expertise in the field of cancer immunotherapy with him. The company wants to strengthen its teams in the Pierre Fabre Immunology Center (CIPF) in Saint-JulienMake full use of en-Genevois: the identification and evaluation of targets that suppress the immune system, as well as targeted immunotherapy.

In addition, the Pierre Fabre R&D Center at the Oncopole campus in Toulouse will contribute to success with its expertise in the fields of translational medicine, pharmacology, toxicology, and clinical development.

These Young Woo Park , President, and CEO of Y-Biologics: "We are very pleased that we can participate in the joint study and the optional license agreement to the by Pierre Fabre to explore proposed new targets for cancer immunotherapy antibodies - using the display Platform for human antibodies from Y-Biologics. Pierre Fabre is an important authority in the field of oncology. We are very proud that the group trusts our platform in their antibody research and thereby helps us to spread our technology worldwide. We hope that the candidates discovered by Y-Biologics will be with Pierre Fabreadvance into the preclinical and clinical phases. This partnership also gives us opportunities for further joint developments. It's nice that we can continue to work closely with Pierre Fabre on this project. "

“Our main strategic focus is on innovations for oncology. We are all the more looking forward to discovering and developing the new generation of monoclonal antibodies together with Y-Biologics. The agreement with Y-Biologics shows how much Pierre Fabre is committed to finding innovative therapies as quickly as possible for patients who do not respond to the current treatments or who reject them, " adds Jean-Luc Lowinski, who works at Pierre Fabre Medical Care Business Unit heads.

With this partnership, Pierre Fabre has the opportunity to acquire all rights to the antibodies that arise in the course of the collaboration. However, Y-Biologics may be entitled to financial compensation for research costs incurred, bonus payments for milestones achieved, and profit-sharing.