Adaptimmune and Galapagos Sign Clinical Collaboration Agreement for Cancer T-cell Therapy Candidate

Ropes & Gray advised Adaptimmune Therapeutics in a clinical collaboration agreement with Galapagos NV with an option to exclusively license Adaptimmune’s next-generation engineered T-cell receptor (TCR) T-cell therapy, called uza-cel, targeting certain head and neck cancer and potential future solid tumor indications using Galapagos’ decentralized cell manufacturing platform. The transaction was announced on May 30.

Under the agreement, Adaptimmune will receive initial payments of $100 million, comprising $70 million upfront and $30 million in research and development funding, option exercise fees of up to $100 million, additional development and sales milestone payments of up to a maximum of $465 million, plus tiered royalties on net sales in the mid-single to low-double digit range. Adaptimmune will retain the right to develop, manufacture, commercialize and exploit uza-cel for platinum-resistant ovarian cancer.

The Ropes & Gray team included life sciences licensing partner David McIntosh and life sciences licensing associate Nicole Rohr.