Oncodesign Seals a Major Research Agreement with Cellectis

Regulatory News:

ONCODESIGN (Paris:ALONC) (Alternext - ALONC), a biotechnology company serving the pharmaceutical industry in the discovery of new therapeutic molecules to fight cancer and other serious illnesses with no known efficient treatment, announces the signature of a major new research agreement with Cellectis (Alternext – ALCLS.PA) to continue the collaboration first launched by the companies in 2013.

Cellectis has selected Oncodesign to carry out certain preclinical studies of drug candidates from Cellectis’ UCART portfolio of engineered allogeneic T cells based on its CAR (Chimeric Antigen Receptor) technology together with genome engineering.

Oncodesign has been working for more than 15 years on the preclinical evaluation of immunotherapies used in the treatment of cancer and possesses perfectly suited technologies, such as predictive cancer models simulating the human immune system, medical imaging equipment and a secure AAALAC-accredited environment for performing tests involving genetically modified cells. This experience, plus the pre-existing relationship between the two companies, heavily influenced Cellectis’ decision.

Philippe Genne, CEO and founder of Oncodesign, commented:
"Cellectis is regarded as a key player in immunotherapy and innovative therapies. We are excited about supporting the pre-clinical phase of development for their programs and engaging the expertise of our teams under a long-term agreement. This new agreement is testimony to the relevance of our technological modules geared to preclinical evaluation of potential future therapies in the fight against cancer.”

About Cellectis’ UCARTs:
The candidates from UCART (for Universal Chimeric Antigen Receptor – T cells) portfolio are advanced therapy medicinal products based on engineered allogeneic T cells using the CAR (Chimeric Antigen Receptor) technology combined with genome engineering. Engineered allogeneic T-lymphocytes bearing a CAR directed at a tumor antigen stand out as a genuine therapeutic innovation in the treatment of various forms of leukemias, lymphomas and solid tumors. UCARTs are special in that they are "off-the-shelf” allogeneic products. UCARTs’ production could be industrialized and thereby standardized, with consistent pharmaceutical release criteria. Each future patient may thus be dosed by receiving a single injection of a standard "off-the-shelf” product with consistent quality. The first clinical trial in humans is scheduled for 2015.

About Cellectis:
Cellectis is a biopharmaceutical company focused on oncology. The company’s mission is to develop a novel generation of therapy based on engineered T-cells to treat cancer. Cellectis capitalizes on its 14 years of expertise in genome engineering, based on TALEN™, meganucleases and the state-of-the-art electroporation technology PulseAgile, to create a new generation of cancer immunotherapy for treating leukemias and solid tumors. Cellectis adoptive cancer immunotherapy for chronic and acute leukemias is based on allogeneic T-cell chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) technology. CAR technologies are designed to target surface antigens expressed on cells. The Cellectis Group is focused on life sciences and uses leading genome engineering technologies to build innovative products in various fields and markets. Cellectis is listed on the NYSE Alternext market (ticker: ALCLS). To find out more about us, visit our website: www.cellectis.com

About ONCODESIGN: www.oncodesign.com
Founded 19 years ago by Dr. Philippe Genne, the Company’s CEO and majority shareholder, ONCODESIGN is a biotech company that maximizes the pharmaceutical industry’s chances of success in discovering new therapeutic molecules to fight cancer and other serious illnesses with no known efficient treatment. Backed by unique experience acquired through more than 500 clients, including the world’s largest pharmaceutical companies, and relying on a comprehensive technological platform combining state-of-the-art medicinal chemistry and medical imaging, ONCODESIGN is able to predict and identify for every molecule, very upstream, its therapeutic use and its potential to become an efficient drug. Applied to kinase inhibitors, molecules that represent a market estimated at over 40 billion dollars in 2016 and accounting for almost 25% of the pharmaceutical industry’s R&D investments, ONCODESIGN’s technology has already enabled the targeting of 7 promising molecules with substantial therapeutic potential, in oncology and elsewhere, and the signing of partnerships, potentially worth €350 million in upfront payments should predefined milestones be reached, with pharmaceutical groups Sanofi, Ipsen and UCB. Based in Dijon, France, in the heart of the town’s university and hospital hub, ONCODESIGN has 63 staff.