VIVEbiotech collaborates with Xyphos Biosciences for clinical development support of convertibleCAR-T(TM) cell therapy

San Sebastián, Spain, June 4, 2020 - VIVEbiotech, S.L., a gene transfer technologies Contract Development and Manufacturing Organization (CDMO) developing and GMP manufacturing lentiviral vectors, today announces a collaboration with Xyphos Biosciences. The collaboration will concentrate on the development and manufacturing of GMP-grade lentiviral vectors. 

Xyphos Biosciences, an Astellas company, has chosen VIVEbiotech to be the company’s GMP clinical lentiviral vector manufacturing provider. Xyphos specifically selected VIVEbiotech as a result of its flexibility, as well as its lentiviral expertise in early as well as later stage GMP manufacturing. The agreement covers VIVEbiotech long-term supplying lentiviral vectors for Xyphos’ upcoming clinical trial of its lead convertibleCAR-T(TM) program. This involves VIVEbiotech manufacturing lentiviral vectors for both preclinical and clinical phases. 

“We are extremely pleased to be working with VIVEbiotech for the production of the Xyphos lentiviral vector,” said David Martin, M.D., CSO of Xyphos Biosciences. “The scientists at VIVEbiotech truly understand the needs and priorities of emerging biotech companies and the importance of providing high quality product in a timely manner.”

“This collaboration with an important Astellas company like Xyphos Biosciences is an ideal opportunity to utilize VIVEbiotech’s international capabilities as a CDMO with our considerable expertise in virology and lentiviral vectors,” said Gurutz Linazasoro, CEO of VIVEbiotech S.L. “Working together with Xyphos Biosciences´ team in this project will be very enriching. We are planning for this collaboration to pave the way for further partnerships using VIVEbiotech’s new GMP facility covering commercial productions. Both companies are fully committed to bring their respective expertise to the fight against cancer.”    

About Xyphos Biosciences

Xyphos, acquired by Astellas Pharma Inc. (“Astellas”) in December 2019, is a development-stage biotechnology company, is focused on the creation and development of immuno-oncology therapeutics designed to harness the power of the patient’s immune system to cure cancer. Xyphos’ novel and proprietary ACCEL(TM) (Advanced Cellular Control through Engineered Ligands) technology platform allows new and potentially better ways to mobilize and control immune cells to find and destroy specifically targeted cells throughout the body. The platform enables the patient’s own natural immune cells to be redirected by bispecific antibodies or to be reprogrammed to express a highly flexible and versatile Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR). The proprietary technology enables the exclusive or preferred delivery of various classes of single or multiple targeting and modulating agents, including bispecific antibodies, cytokines and kill functions. Resulting convertibleCAR-cells can be specifically directed to tumor cells, and their activity towards tumor destruction can be tightly controlled from outside the CAR-cell, potentially leading to safer and more efficacious treatments. Xyphos’ first convertibleCAR cell product candidate is in preclinical development and is scheduled to be tested in a first-in-human clinical study in 2021. The company is headquartered in South San Francisco, CA. For more information, visit https://www.xyphosinc.com/

About Astellas

Astellas Pharma Inc., based in Tokyo, Japan, is a company dedicated to improving the health of people around the world through the provision of innovative and reliable pharmaceutical products. For more information, please visit our website at https://www.astellas.com/en

About VIVEbiotech S.L. 

VIVEbiotech is a company fully specialized in lentiviral vectors with expertise as a GMP CDMO focused on the manufacture of lentiviral vectors from early stages to GMP. Working with European and US-based companies, its main aim is to adapt to customer own requirements from a technical and timeline perspective. In addition, VIVEbiotech´s technology development strategy is focused on providing a response to the main hurdles that currently exist within the gene therapy field, mainly the need of cost-effective processes and the enhancement of the safety profile of viral vectors. In this setting, VIVEbiotech has its own worldwide licensed technology: a non-integrative episomal stable lentiviral vector (LENTISOMA). For more information, visit https://www.vivebiotech.com/