Astellas and Kelonia Therapeutics enter CAR-T therapies collaboration

Japanese drug major Astellas Pharma (TYO: 4503) says its subsidiary Xyphos has entered into research and license agreement with privately-held Boston, USA-based Kelonia Therapeutics, to develop novel immuno-oncology therapeutics.

Kelonia is a biotech company pioneering a new wave of genetic medicines using its in vivo gene placement system (iGPS). iGPS uses next generation lentiviral particles to efficiently deliver genetic cargo precisely to the desired target cells inside the patient’s body. Xyphos holds a novel and proprietary ACCEL technology platform that uses its convertibleCAR (convertible chimeric antigen receptor) on immune cells.

Under the terms of the agreement, the companies plan to combine Kelonia’s iGPS with Xyphos’ ACCEL technology to develop innovative in vivo CAR-T Cell therapies*targeting up to two programs. Xyphos will be responsible for the development and commercialization of products created from the collaborative research.