Quell Therapeutics' T-regulatory (Treg) development programme for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with AstraZeneca has reached a new milestone, with the latter selecting a lead Treg cell therapy candidate to progress.
Through the deal, AstraZeneca will obtain exclusive licensing rights to the therapeutic candidate, taking over the candidate's further development and potential commercialisation further down the line.
In exchange, Quell Therapeutics will receive USD $10m as an upfront payment.
This is the second milestone achieved by Quell under its 2023 collaboration agreement with AstraZeneca, with the company claiming another one of Quell's Treg candidates for Type 1 Diabetes in November 2024.
AstraZeneca will now progress further CTA/IND-enabling studies and clinical development of the selected candidate, with Quell providing chemistry, manufacturing and controls (CMC) support including GMP supply of drug product for a first-in-human trial.
“Achieving this milestone in inflammatory bowel disease is the second important milestone for Quell — demonstrating the transformative potential of the Treg cell therapy approach when treating complex immune diseases," noted CEO of Quell Therapeutics, Iain McGill.
"We're proud to see the progress of this programme and look forward to continuing to work with AstraZeneca to bring these innovative therapies to patients in need," he added.
“The burden represented by Inflammatory Bowel Disease is significant and growing. We need novel and innovative therapies that address the underlying drivers of the condition and represent a significant advancement for patients," stated Attilio Bondanza, VP Immunology Cell Therapy, BioPharmaceuticals R&D, at AstraZeneca.
"Achieving this important early milestone in our collaboration with Quell Therapeutics marks the progress we are making in delivering the possibility a new transformative treatment in IBD.”
Meanwhile, Quell's proprietary internal clinical programme involving QEL-001, which is designed to induce sustained immune tolerance in mismatched liver transplant patients, is advancing.
According to Quell, the first efficacy data from the LIBERATE Phase Ib/II trial will be debuted later this year.
