Lonza and Immutep sign agreement

Published: 11-Apr-2012

For process development of Immutep’s IMP321 potential breast cancer treatment


Lonza has agreed to handle cell line selection, master cell banking and process development of Immutep’s leading product ImmuFact IMP321.

Lonza will initiate the process development for the product, using Immutep's newly developed proprietary cell lines.

Immutep, a French biotechnology firm, says IMP321 (LAG-3Ig) has potential to be used as a treatment for advanced cancer in combination with standard first-line chemotherapy.

‘We have every confidence in Lonza to carry out the production for pivotal trials and beyond,’ said Frederic Triebel, scientific and medical director of Immutep.

‘The mechanism of action of this synergistic combination of chemotherapy and active immunotherapy is very simple. The chemotherapy provides a burst of tumour cell debris and the surrounding APC take up the tumour antigens. IMP321 activates these APC resulting in a long-lasting CD8 T cell response against the tumour.

‘We think that the combination of first-line standard chemotherapy plus IMP321 should be tested in several first-line indications. We are in partnering discussions at present.’

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