ArsenalBio and Bristol Myers Squibb Achieve Milestone for AB-4000 Series as Part of Ongoing Multi-Program Collaboration to Advance Next-Generation T Cell Therapies for Solid Tumors

Collaboration Details - Bristol Myers Squibb has exercised its exclusive license option for ArsenalBio's AB-4000 series, a lead collaboration program under the multi-program agreement signed in December 2020 [1] - The collaboration aims to advance next-generation T cell therapies for the treatment of solid tumors [1] - ArsenalBio is responsible for discovering and building preclinical candidates against multiple targets, while Bristol Myers Squibb has the option to obtain an exclusive worldwide license to develop and commercialize these candidates [2] - Following the exercise of the option, Bristol Myers Squibb will be solely responsible for developing and commercializing the licensed candidates [2] - ArsenalBio remains eligible for additional milestone payments and royalties on potential commercial sales as the programs advance [3] ArsenalBio's Technology and Pipeline - ArsenalBio is a clinical-stage programmable cell therapy company focused on engineering advanced CAR T cell therapies for solid tumors [1] - The company leverages its proprietary synthetic biology toolkit, including CRISPR-based CITE (CRISPR Integration of Transgene via Electroporation), to create the AB-4000 series [5] - CITE cassettes include features such as PrimeR logic gates and shRNA cassettes to improve T cell product's ability to identify and eradicate solid tumors while limiting off-target effects [5] - ArsenalBio's clinical pipeline includes AB-2100 for kidney cancer and multiple preclinical candidates for prostate cancer and other solid tumors [4] - The company is pioneering an AI-enabled foundation model of the T cell using deep learning to accelerate target discovery and improve patient segmentation for drug development [4] Strategic Milestones - In January 2022, Bristol Myers Squibb exercised an option to initiate a new program, expanding its strategic collaboration with ArsenalBio [2] - In July 2023, Bristol Myers Squibb entered a limited co-exclusive commercial license agreement for the use of ArsenalBio's proprietary TME control technology to potentially increase CAR T therapeutic effects in a limited number of Bristol Myers Squibb cell therapy products [2] - The recent exercise of the exclusive license option for the AB-4000 series further strengthens the collaboration between the two companies [1]