Oxford spinout Immago Biosystems, which is working on increasing the efficiency of antibody-based cancer therapies, has been acquired by Hansa Medical.
Immago Biosystems, a cancer-focused biotechnology spinout of Oxford University, was acquired yesterday by biopharmaceutical company Hansa Medical for an undisclosed sum.
Immago has not released details about any funding rounds.
Founded in 2013, Immago is exploiting the discovery that IgG-antibody modulating enzymes are able to increase the efficiency of antibody-based cancer therapies.
The approach essentially eliminates immunological noise, that is, irrelevant serum antibodies present on immune cells that otherwise prevent a high number of therapeutic antibodies from attaching themselves to the cells.
The technology makes it possible to refocus the cellular immune system on a single target – the cancer.
The research was conducted at the Department of Biochemistry’s Glycoprotein Therapeutics Laboratory by co-founders Chris Scanlan and Max Crispin, who joined forces with their colleague Kavitha Baruah to establish Immago. Scanlan died from cancer in 2013.
Hansa’s acquisition of the spinout follows the corporate’s verification of Immago’s early preclinical research findings. The company has applied for further patent protections.
