UbiVac inks deal with Janssen on vaccine to intercept oral cancer

Privately held US clinical stage immuno-oncology company UbiVac has entered into a collaboration with Janssen Biotech, a subsidiary of US health care giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ).

The Johnson & Johnson Innovation Center in California facilitated the research agreement on behalf of the Janssen Disease Interception Accelerator. The agreement marks UbiVac’s first big contact with a major pharmaceutical company.

Under the terms of the accord, UbiVac, a Providence Cancer Center spinoff, will develop new preclinical and clinical versions of its proprietary DRibble immunotherapy for use in preclinical studies of oral cancer. UbiVac will receive an upfront payment, plus additional financial commitments, contingent upon reaching certain pre-determined research, development and manufacturing milestones. In addition to funding the research, Janssen has an option for further development and licensing of the new DRibble immunotherapy. Further financial details were not disclosed.