Sorrento sets up TNK Therapeutics to focus on cellular immunotherapies

US late-stage clinical oncology firm Sorrento Therapeutics (Nasdaq: SRNE) says it has formed a wholly-owned subsidiary, TNK Therapeutics, which will focus on developing CAR.TNKs (Chimeric Antigen Receptor Tumor-attacking Neukoplast) as well as other complementary cellular and immunotherapies targeting both solid tumors and hematological malignancies.

Late last year, Sorrento entered into a global exclusive partnership with Conkwest, an immunotherapy company developing proprietary Neukoplast (NK-92), a natural killer (NK) cell-line based therapy, to jointly develop next-generation CAR.TNK immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer and infectious diseases (The Pharma Letter December 19, 2014). The CAR.TNK technology platform combines Conkwest's Neukoplast cell line with Sorrento's proprietary G-MAB fully-human antibody technology and CAR designs to further enhance the anti-cancer potency and tumor targeting of Neukoplast. Under the terms of this agreement, both companies will jointly select CAR.TNKs to be developed with the 'lead company' responsible for advancing the candidates into the clinic. Profit sharing from future sales and potential strategic collaborations with other pharmaceutical partners will be determined by the development stage of the drug candidates.

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