Pfizer Signs Immunotherapy Deal With iTeos Therapeutics

Belgian biotech firm iTeos Therapeutics announced that it has signed a strategic collaboration with Pfizer for the licensing of several pre-clinical compounds against cancer immunosuppression targets.

Under the terms of the agreement, Pfizer will pay iTeos € 24 million in upfront fee in addition to an undisclosed equity investment, licensing fees, and collaborative funds. The biotech firm will also be eligible for potential milestone payments upon meeting certain development, regulatory, and commercial milestones across the IDO1 and TDO2 programs.

The companies will discover and develop IDO1 and TDO2 therapies targeted against Indoleamine 2,3-dioxygenase (IDO1) and Tryptophan 2,3-dioxygenase (TDO2). iTeos and Pfizer will also work together to discover and validate new key targets that help tumors evade the body’s immune system responses. The aforementioned targets will be shared by Pfizer and iTeos for either independent or further collaborative clinical development.

Dr. Michel Detheux, CEO of iTeos Therapeutics, said that the collaboration will help the company advance its IDO1 and TDO2 programs. He adds, “Furthermore, by working with Pfizer, we aim to produce a series of new targets that have the potential to be further developed by iTeos or Pfizer. This expansion of our drug discovery programs is expected to provide additional, novel immunomodulators for future treatment of cancer patients.”

Dr. Robert Abraham, SVP and CSO of Oncology Research Unit at Pfizer, said, “This collaboration with iTeos is another important step for Pfizer as we continue to build an industry-leading pipeline of cancer immunotherapeutics, a critical facet of which is the promising class of small molecule immunomodulators. With iTeos' strong expertise and experience in tumor immunology, this collaboration is well-positioned to help us deliver on our commitment to help bring new therapies to patients.”

The news is close behind Pfizer’s recent announcement that it will be establishing a gene therapy platform and has partnered with U.S. biotech Spark Therapeutics to develop an investigational treatment for hemophilia A.