Pierre Fabre and H-Immune to develop new cancer immunotherapies

French pharmaceutical company Pierre Fabre and H-Immune have entered a strategic research partnership to develop new cancer immunotherapies.

The partnership will use H-Immune’s In Vitro Immunization (IVI) technology platform to generate lead candidates of fully human antibodies.

This would serve as the initial step in a programme to develop the therapeutics.

The agreement will give Pierre Fabre access to H-Immune’s IVI technology for three different discovery programmes in the field of immuno-oncology.

A spin out from the French Atomic Energy Commission, H-Immune has developed the IVI technology, leveraging an approach to generate a series of fully human monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) against any therapeutic target.

"We believe this collaboration enhances the potential of both partners to deliver transformational therapies to patients in areas of significant unmet medical needs."

H-Immune co-founder and CEO Luc Boblet said: "Pierre Fabre is an ideal partner for H-Immune to help us begin to realise the full potential of our science and IVI technology, which we plan to exploit through multiple industry partnerships.

"This collaboration is designed to catalyse and create tremendous ongoing scientific and product development synergy by leveraging each company’s strengths and assets."

Pierre Fabre Pharmaceuticals R&D Head Laurent Audoly added: "We believe this collaboration enhances the potential of both partners to deliver transformational therapies to patients in areas of significant unmet medical needs."

Pierre Fabre develops pharmaceuticals through its Pierre Fabre Immunology Centre of excellence (CIPF) based in Saint-Julien-en-Genevois, France.

Both companies have not disclosed the financial terms of the agreement, which include expertise contribution, R&D funding, and milestone payments to H-Immune.