Ajinomoto, Bright Peak Enter Immunocytokines Research Pact

Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services, a biopharmaceutical CDMO, and Bright Peak Therapeutics Inc., a biotechnology company developing next gen immunotherapies for cancer and autoimmune disease, have entered a research collaboration and exclusive license agreement to incorporate Ajinomoto Co.’s AJICAP site-specific bioconjugation technology for the development of Bright Peak Immunocytokines.

Bright Peak uses a novel ligation technology to chemically synthesize therapeutic cytokines by ligating together customized peptide segments. This platform provides flexibility to both tune and enhance cytokine biology. AJICAP is a proprietary site-specific bioconjugation technology compatible with commonly used antibody isotypes. AJICAP’s technology "off-the-shelf" feature allows any therapeutic antibody at any stage of development to be conjugated to drug-payloads of choice without the need for antibody engineering or cell line development.

Bright Peak will use Ajinomoto’s AJICAP technology to enhance cytokines as payloads to certain antibodies, creating novel Immunocytokines. These Immunocytokines will allow tissue- and cell-specific targeting of the cytokine payload with the added potential for synergistic efficacy through potency-enhancing avidity effects.

Bright Peak will receive exclusive worldwide rights to use the AJICAP technology for the conjugation of certain cytokine payloads, including but not limited to interleukin-2 (IL-2). Bright Peak will make an exclusivity payment and Ajinomoto Co. is eligible to receive development, regulatory and commercial milestones as well as royalties on commercial sales.

"We are delighted to announce the collaboration with Ajinomoto Co.to develop our proprietary Immunocytokines using AJICAP technology. It is a natural extension of Bright Peak’s chemical synthesis technology platform. The AJICAP conjugation technology is ideally suited to conjugate our enhanced cytokines as payloads to antibodies in the cancer and autoimmune field” said Dr. Sef Kurstjens President and CEO of Bright Peak Therapeutics, Inc.

Dr. Tatsuya Okuzumi, Associate General Manager, Research and Business Planning Department, Ajinomoto Co., Inc., added, "Ajinomoto Co. and Ajinomoto Bio-Pharma Services are very excited to collaborate with Bright Peak in the development of targeted Immunocytokines. The ability to direct potent, homogeneous immune-signaling molecules to tumors and the tumor microenvironment may provide enhanced antitumor clinical benefit through immune cell cytotoxic activity. The combination of Bright Peak’s cytokine payloads with Ajinomoto Co.’s AJICAP opens up a wide range of oncology applications and may be harnessed to provide a clinical benefit to patients.”