Novartis, a leading pharmaceutical company, has entered into a collaboration with Legend Biosciences, paying an upfront amount of $100 million, for access to a range of CAR-T candidates targeting Delta-like ligand protein 3 (DLL3), a protein associated with certain solid tumors. This partnership marks the first time Novartis will apply its T-Charge platform to an externally-developed CAR-T therapy, as well as its first foray into solid-tumor-focused cell therapy.

Legend Biosciences, based in New Jersey, will oversee a phase 1 clinical trial of their autologous CAR-T therapy, LB2102, designed specifically for lung cancer treatment. Novartis plans to take over the further development of LB2102 after the phase 1 trial. With the incorporation of Novartis' T-Charge process, which aims to preserve the quality and efficacy of CAR T-cells by minimizing the ex vivo expansion time, the therapy holds potential for improved long-term outcomes, better response rates, and reduced risk of adverse events.

Jennifer Brogdon, Ph.D., head of cell therapy research in the Department of Exploratory Immuno-Oncology at the Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, expressed excitement about the collaboration, stating that the combination of Legend Biotech's unique CAR design and Novartis' T-Charge platform may bring about transformative benefits for patients.

The collaboration also offers significant financial incentives for Legend Biosciences, including potential milestone payments of over $1 billion, in addition to tiered royalties. This underscores the confidence Novartis has in the innovative CAR design and armor mechanism of LB2102, which is expected to enhance its anti-tumor activity.

Novartis already has two CAR-T therapies, developed in-house using the T-Charge platform, in clinical trials. One of them, Rapcabtagene autoleucel (YTB323), has demonstrated a 63% complete response rate in a phase 1 trial involving relapsed/refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma patients. The other, PHE885, has shown an overall response rate of 96% in patients with relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

Novartis has remained steadfast in its commitment to the T-Charge platform, which is specifically designed for autologous therapies. The company has opted not to pursue "off-the-shelf" CAR-T therapies, emphasizing the potential of personalized medicine in the field of cell therapy.

This collaboration signifies a significant step forward in Novartis' efforts to leverage its expertise and T-Charge platform in the development of innovative CAR-T therapies targeting solid tumors. The potential of this partnership holds promise for patients in need of effective treatments for various types of solid tumors.