TxCell and Trizell amend agreement to accelerate Ovasave development

French biotech firm TxCell (Euronext Paris: TXCL) says it has amended the Ovasave collaboration option, development and license agreement with Trizell Holding. Ovasave is an antigen-specific Treg cell-based immunotherapy for the treatment of inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD), including Crohn's disease and ulcerative colitis.

In the agreement, TxCell will undertake a program to bring forward the preparation of Ovasave for Phase III development and commercialization, notably in the areas of process and manufacturing development. To finance this program, Trizell will advance up to 1.1 million euros ($1.2 million) in funding that was initially due after the future exercise of Trizell’s option to Ovasave.

Additional 4.3 million euros funding discretional

In Trizell’s sole discretion, it may finance a further 4.3 million euros. TxCell has appointed the Cell Therapy Catapult, a leading cell therapy organization, to undertake the process and manufacturing development of TxCell’s ASTrIA product platform under TxCell’s leadership. Ovasave, TxCell’s lead product, is currently in a Phase IIb clinical trial for refractory Crohn’s disease (CATS29 study). Top line results of this study are expected at the end of 2016 / early 2017.