Medigene Advances TCR-T Therapies with FDA Clearance and Strategic Partnerships
Key Insights
Medigene received FDA clearance for its IND application for MDG1015, a TCR-T therapy targeting NY-ESO-1 (search)/LAGE-1a (search), for advanced solid tumors (search).
A strategic partnership with WuXi Biologics will co-research TCR-guided T Cell Engagers (TCR-TCEs) for solid tumors (search), expanding Medigene's pipeline.
Medigene maintains its cash runway guidance into July 2025, supported by a new financing option and ongoing partnerships.
Medigene AG is making strides in the development of T cell receptor (TCR)-guided therapies for cancer treatment. The company's lead program, MDG1015, a first-in-class, third-generation NY-ESO-1 (search) / LAGE-1a (search) targeted TCR-T therapy, has received clearance from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for its investigational new drug (IND) application. This paves the way for a phase 1 clinical trial (EPITOME1015-I) in patients with advanced gastric cancer (search), ovarian cancer (search), myxoid/round cell liposarcoma (search), and synovial sarcoma (search). The clinical trial application (CTA) submission to the European Medicines Agency (EMA) is expected in Q4 2024.
Strategic Partnership with WuXi Biologics
Medigene has entered a three-year strategic partnership with WuXi Biologics to co-research TCR-guided T Cell Engagers (TCEs) for solid tumors (search). This collaboration aims to develop bispecific therapeutics that target cancer cells with precision while minimizing off-target effects. The MDG3010 program will be a joint development, leveraging Medigene’s 3S TCRs and WuXi Biologics’ anti-CD3 mAb, TCE platform, and WuXiBody™ bispecific antibody platform. The specific target for this bispecific therapeutic will be disclosed at a later date.
Financial Stability and Intellectual Property
Medigene's financial performance in Q3 2024 was in line with expectations, with revenues of EUR 1.4 million primarily from the BioNTech partnership and R&D expenses of EUR 2.7 million. As of September 30, 2024, the company holds EUR 9.5 million in cash and cash equivalents. A Standby Equity Purchase Agreement (SEPA) with Yorkville Advisors Global L.P. provides a financing option of up to EUR 15 million to support further program development. The Management Board maintains its guidance, retaining a cash runway into July 2025 based on current plans.
Medigene continues to expand its intellectual property portfolio, which includes 29 patent families with 104 issued patents and 124 pending applications. Recent patents granted protect TCR targeting NY-ESO-1 (search) / LAGE 1a, the JOVI technology for T cell enrichment, and the inducible Medigene T cell receptor (iM-TCR) technology for enhanced control and safety of TCR-T therapies.
Scientific Presentations
Medigene presented pre-clinical data for MDG2021, a TCR-T therapy targeting the KRAS G12D (search) mutation with HLA-A*11, at the European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress 2024. The company also presented its UniTope & TraCR End-to-End Platform at ESMO and the American Society of Gene & Cell Therapy Annual Meeting.