Kyle Doherty joined MJH Life Sciences in 2021 and is the lead editor for 

as well as news and conference updates for OncLive.com. Email: kdoherty@mjhlifesciences.com

AbbVie and Caribou Biosciences, Inc have announced that the companies have entered into a collaboration and license agreement for the research and development of chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapeutics.

The terms of the multi-year agreement will allow AbbVie to utilize Caribou’s next-generation Cas12a clusters of regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) hybrid RNA-DNA (chRDNA) genome editing and cell therapy technologies to research and develop 2 new CAR T-cell therapies. AbbVie will be given exclusive rights to Cas12a for the targets of their choosing. Caribou will perform certain pre-clinical research, development, and manufacturing activities for the collaboration programs, while AbbVie will handle development, commercialization, and other manufacturing efforts.

A $40 million upfront cash payment and equity investment will be directed to Caribou, as well as up to $300 million in future development, regulatory, and launch milestones. Additionally, there will be the potential for Caribou to receive additional payments for commercial milestones and global tiered royalties. AbbVie has the option to expand the collaboration to include an additional 2 CAR T -cell therapies for a fee.1

“Caribou’s next-generation CRISPR genome editing technologies hold broad promise for new therapy development,” Rachel Haurwitz, PhD, president and CEO of Caribou said in an interview with 

®. “A partnership with AbbVie allows Caribou to increase the number of targets and diseases addressable by these technologies. It’s an important opportunity to expand upon what we hope to do for patients. The collaboration is also an important validation of Caribou’s differentiated next-generation CRISPR genome editing technologies.”

CRISPR gene editing technology utilizes modular, biological tools to induce DNA changes in living cells. The 2 basic components of CRISPR systems are the nuclease proteins and the RNA molecules. The nuclease proteins cut DNA while the RNA molecules guide the nuclease to generate a site-specific, double-stranded break, which result in editing at the targeted genomic site. CRISPR systems are differentiated by the presence of a class 1 multiprotein effector complex or a class 2 single effector protein.

CRISPR systems have been shown to achieve several different types of genetic modifications in different types of cells. CRISPR techniques have achieved recombination, engineered immunity, mutagenesis, and donor-mediated gene disruption in bacteria, yeast, and filamentous fungi cells. The technique has also been used to achieve RNA-guided gene editing in multiple human cell lines with high specify and efficiencies of up to approximately 50%.

CRISPR systems can sometimes unintentionally edit certain genomic sites, leading to harmful effects on cellular function. Caribou’s chRDNAs are highly specific RNA-DNA hybrid guides that are used in combination with CRISPR to direct more precise genome editing.

“Caribou utilizes CRISPR hybrid RNA-DNA guides that contain both DNA and RNA nucleotides,” Haurwitz explained. “These hybrid guides drive much more specific genome editing than all RNA guides. Caribou uses chRDNA guides in concert with a CRISPR enzyme to develop complex immune cell therapies.”

By using CRISPR technology to engineer CAR T-cells to withstand host immune attack, Caribou hopes to develop “off-the-shelf” cellular therapies aimed at benefitting a broad patient population. The company is currently focusing on genome-edited off-the-shelf allogenic CAR T-cell and natural killer cell therapies for the treatment of patients with intractable malignancies.

Current programs in the discovery phase include CB-011 and CB-012 which use T cells to target BCMA and CD371 for patients with hematologic malignancies, respectively. Another product, CB-020, focuses on using natural killer cells therapies for an undisclosed target for patients with solid tumors. The CB-010 program, currently in phase 1 exploration, uses T cells to target CD19 and for patients with relapsed/refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma.

“I am excited about the opportunity for our companies to collaboratively develop 2 additional CAR T- [cell products], expanding upon the total number of therapies Caribou’s technologies underpin,” Haurwitz concluded.

AbbVie and Caribou Biosciences announce collaboration and license agreement for CAR-T cell products. News release. February 10, 2021. Accessed February 21, 2021. 

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/abbvie-and-caribou-biosciences-announce-collaboration-and-license-agreement-for-car-t-cell-products-301225509.html

Pioneering chRDNA guides. Caribou Biosciences. Accessed February 21, 2021. 

Donohue PD, Barrangou R, May AP. Advances in industrial biotechnology using CRISPR-cas systems. 

2018;36(2):134-136. doi:10.1016/j.tibtech.2017.07.007

Cameron P, Coons MM, Stenberg SH, et al. Harnessing type I CRISPR-Cas systems for genome engineering in human cells. 

2019;37:1471-1477. doi:10.1038/s41587-019-0310-0

Pipeline. Caribou Biosciences. Accessed February 21, 2020. 

Articles

February 23, 2021 - AbbVie and Caribou Biosciences, Inc have entered into a collaboration and license agreement for the research and development of chimeric antigen receptory T-cell therapeutics. 

Caribou and AbbVie Initiate Development Partnership for CAR T-Cell Products 

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has announced the launch of its first-ever venture fund, Binney Street Capital, LLC.

Binney Street Capital will aid new research and technology development to further Dana-Farber’s mission of developing treatments for incurable cancers. The primary focus of the fund will be therapeutics, while also considering investments in novel diagnostics, digital health, and services companies. Investments will be directed toward startup companies that are either created with Dana-Farber intellectual property or are cofounded by a Dana-Farber investigator.

“It’s a fairly new, exciting effort,” said Luba Greenwood, Managing Partner of Binney Street Capital in an interview with 

. There are other types of investors in oncology, but they are not cancer institutes. There are investors that are just venture capital firms. For example, pharma companies have strategic venture arms where they’re investing in oncology. This is actually quite differentiated, really a new model for investment.”

“We can continue to find some really amazing therapies, help them grow, help our scientists start companies in really exciting areas, and then take the money and reinvest it back into the science and help the scientists again,” Greenwood added. “That’s really the ultimate goal, to provide the funding and support to the scientists at Dana-Farber.”

The fund will be helmed by an advisory group of leading investors and industry experts who are dedicated to advancing Dana-Farber’s mission. Plans for the first 3 years include investments in 8 to 10 companies ranging from $250,000 to $2 million.

“Our goal is really furthering the mission of Dana-Farber,” said Greenwood. “That’s both a short-term goal and a long-term goal. Dana-Farber has 2 parts in this mission: one is to find cures for cancer and the other is to provide the best treatment. For us, consistent with and furthering that mission, we’re looking to support, help start, and seed companies in the cancer and oncology space and in the endocrinology space that are truly finding cures.”

Dana-Farber has previously helped build several cancer-focused biotech companies leveraging research and intellectual property to aid over 50 startups, 11 of which have debuted in the past 3 years. In early 2020, Dana-Farber partnered with health care investment firm MPM Capital to raise $100 million to invest into early-stage biotech companies developing therapeutic cancer technologies. In addition, the 2 partners raised over $26 million through the Dana-Farber Innovations Research Fund, which aimed to support early-stage oncology research at the institute.

“It’s quite unprecedented to have an opportunity to work with the best of the best of both physicians and scientists in cancer. It’s a remarkable, amazing opportunity to work with these people and to drive the science forward,” Greenwood said. “Not just with a concentration in therapeutics, but diagnostics as well, and other areas where we could potentially achieve true innovation for cancer patients.”

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute launches investment fund to support startup companies. News release. Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. January 14, 2021. Accessed on January 21, 2021. 

https://www.dana-farber.org/newsroom/news-releases/2021/dana-farber-cancer-institute-launches-investment-fund-to-support-startup-companies/

Bell J. Dana-Farber launches venture fund targeting incurable cancers. 

. January 15, 2021. Accessed January 21, 2021. 

https://www.biopharmadive.com/news/dana-farber-venture-fund-biotechs-cancer/593483/

January 29, 2021 - Dana-Farber Cancer Institute has announced the launch of its first-ever venture fund, Binney Street Capital, LLC. 

Kyle Doherty

Articles

Caribou and AbbVie Initiate Development Partnership for CAR T-Cell Products

Dana-Farber Unveils Venture Fund to Aid in Mission to Develop Options for Incurable Cancers