The research center Applied Medicine (CIMA) of the University of Navarra and the Swiss pharmaceutical company F. Hoffmann-La Roche Ltd. have signed a agreement of licence and partnership at research for the development of molecules that could lead to new selective cancer treatments.

Currently, the utilization and activation of the immune system is a novel way to fight cancer. "Drugs that facilitate the patient's own immune system to slow down the progression of the malignant tumor have been confirmed to be an effective therapeutic tool . One of the strategies to boost our immune response against tumors is to inhibit a subtype of cells, regulatory T lymphocytes, which infiltrate tumors and prevent our own immune system from acting against the cancer. It is known that the immunosuppressive function of these cells is regulated by the action of a protein core topic whose inhibition could have therapeutic effects," explains Dr. Juan José Lasarte, director of the Immunology and Immunotherapy Program at CIMA.

"With this approach in mind, at CIMA we have developed the first molecules capable of entering the regulatory T cell, binding to this target protein to inhibit its function, resulting in the activation of the immune system against cancer. This project has been the result of a close partnership between the Immunology and Immunotherapy and Molecular Therapies programs", comments Dr. Julen Oyarzabal, director of the Molecular Therapies Program at CIMA. Immunotherapy is a valid strategy in principle for many types of cancer, since it is based on the stimulation and strengthening of the patient's own immune response.

Collaboration between research and industry

The partnership between CIMA and Roche comprises a joint agreement of research and the licence to Roche of the CIMA molecules for development and worldwide commercialization. CIMA could receive a milestone payment from development of up to four indications for each product reaching the market, in addition to tiered sales royalties.

According to Dr. Jesús M. Hernández, consultant of the University of Navarra in biomedical transfer and innovation, "this is one of the most important licence agreements made in Spain between a research center and a biopharmaceutical company business ".

For her part, Dr. María Pilar Civeira, general director of CIMA, points out that "in addition to endorsing the relevance of its research, this alliance is another example of the eagerness of CIMA to collaborate with the industry so that research leaves laboratory and is oriented towards potential therapeutic solutions for patients all over the world".

About the CIMA

The CIMA is a University high school of research of the University of Navarra located in Pamplona. Its mission statement is to perform a translational research of excellence, based on a novel biological knowledge and aimed at finding therapeutic solutions to patients' needs.

The vision of CIMA is to be an international reference letter center in biomedical research , valued for the relevance of its scientific discoveries and their application to improve the welfare of society.