Selexis SA and Boston Immune Technologies and Therapeutics (BITT) have entered into a service agreement to develop the cell line for BITR2101, BITT’s lead tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) antagonist antibody for the treatment of cancers and infectious diseases.
 
Under the agreement, BITT will leverage Selexis’ SUREtechnology Platform, a suite of proprietary modular technologies designed to overcome the challenges of protein-expression and deliver the high-performance research cell banks necessary to pursue clinical development.
 
“The tumor microenvironment is incredibly complex and presents significant barriers to the development of targeted cancer immunotherapies that offer fewer side effects and higher response rates,” said Yemi Onakunle, PhD, MBA, Selexis chief business officer. “We are pleased to join BITT in the company’s efforts to leverage the human immune system to not only bring new treatments to patients with cancer but to potentially improve currently available therapies.”
 
Targeting the Tumor Necrosis Factor Receptor 2
 
BITT has developed a platform for targeting the tumor necrosis factor receptor 2 (TNFR2) oncogene and the potent population of TNFR2 Tregs in the tumor microenvironment. The TNFR2 epitope is densely expressed on the immunosuppressive regulatory T cells (Tregs) in the tumor microenvironment that protect tumors and appear to play a role in resistance to checkpoint inhibitors including PD1 and CTLA4. TNFR2 is also expressed on the surface of certain cancers as an NFkB-driven growth receptor oncogene. BITT has built a broad portfolio of intellectual property around targeting TNFR2 in oncology and has identified lead monoclonal antibody candidates.
 
“Progressing BITR2101 toward human studies is a significant milestone and it is imperative that we partner with the strongest cell line development company in the industry,” commented Russell LaMontagne, BITT co-founder, president and chief executive officer. “Selexis is a standout player in the field and one that is backed by proven technologies and a reputation for helping companies all over the world advance their programs.”
 
Selexis’ modular SUREtechnology Platform facilitates the rapid, stable, and cost-effective production of recombinant proteins and vaccines, providing seamless integration of the development continuum from discovery to commercialization.