Pierre Fabre forms partnership with Inserm and academics in immuno-oncology
Under the terms of this three-year agreement, Inserm’s Cordeliers Research Centre (CRC) and the Centre of Immunology Pierre Fabre (CIPF) will develop oncological biotherapies
French firm Pierre Fabre Médicament (PFM) has formed a partnership with the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research (Inserm) and its academic partners (Université Paris Descartes-Paris V, Université Pierre et Marie Curie-Paris VI and Université Paris Diderot-Paris VII) and Inserm Transfert, a subsidiary of Inserm dedicated to knowledge transfer and the promotion of biomedical discoveries made by teams at Inserm, to identify new therapeutic targets in immuno-oncology.
Financial terms have not been disclosed.
Under the terms of this three-year agreement, Inserm’s Cordeliers Research Centre (CRC) and the Centre of Immunology Pierre Fabre (CIPF) will develop oncological biotherapies. Through periodic collaborative workshops, the CRC teams of Wolf-Hervé Fridman and CIPF will discuss their research and share their expertise in immuno-oncology.
This knowledge transfer will combine CRC’s academic scientific knowledge with Pierre Fabre’s expertise in the development of biomolecules and translational medicine, as a way to select patients who might benefit the most from these new targeted treatments.
Initially, the CIPF scientists and CRC teams will validate the therapeutic value of the biological targets discovered by the academic researchers.
Pierre Fabre teams will bring their expertise in the development of monoclonal antibodies corresponding to these targets. Meanwhile, both organisations will work together to identify new therapeutic targets.
Pierre Fabre has extensive experience in oncology and immunology. The CIPF specialises in researching targeted biotherapies and aims to find monoclonal antibodies used in oncology treatments and the production of biotechnological active substances. Since the creation in 2011 of its Antibodies Biotechnology Unit (ABU), the CIPF is the only French institution to combine applied research, developments and the production of clinical batches, at the same site. With its translational medicine and clinical oncological expertise, Pierre Fabre is a suitable partner for the development of new therapies in immuno-oncology.
A pioneer of cancer immunology and immunotherapy, the CRC, currently headed by Pr. Pascal Ferré, is internationally recognised for its expertise in these fields. The Centre was created in 2007 by Hervé Fridman, a specialist in clinical immunology, under the joint supervision of Inserm, Université Pierre et Marie Curie, Université Paris Descartes, and Université Paris Diderot-Paris. The research teams of the Cancer, Immunology and Immunopathology department at the CRC focus on the study of the dialogue between the immune system and cancer, especially within the tumour microenvironment. They are looking into the stress signals induced by different treatments (chemotherapy, antibody therapies) and their impact on the anti-tumour response.
