AstraZeneca Buys TeneoTwo in $1.2 Billion T-Cell Engager Play

AstraZeneca is acquiring TeneoTwo in a deal worth over $1.2 billion, giving it TNB-486, a Phase 1 T-cell engager being evaluated in relapsed and refractory B-cell non-Hodgkin lymphoma. The takeover sets AstraZeneca up to replicate the regulatory success of Amgen’s Blincyto, the first approved T-cell engager. 

TeneoTwo is, in fact, originated from Amgen’s takeover of Teneobio last year. As part of Amgen’s $900 million acquisition, Teneobio spun off subsidiaries to hold on to assets that were not part of the deal. This included TNB-486, which came into the possession of TeneoTwo. 

The takeover is expected to be completed in the third quarter of 2022. 

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Promising Treatment for Blood Cancers

TNB-486 is a bispecific antibody belonging to the class of T-cell engages. It binds CD3 on T-cells as well as CD19 on B-cells, essentially bringing wayward B-cells closer for T-cells to recognize and destroy. 

AstraZeneca plans to investigate TNB-486 in other B-cell related blood cancers including diffuse large B-cell lymphoma and follicular lymphoma. 

According to Anas Younes, Senior Vice President of Haematology R&D at AstraZeneca, TNB-486 as a monotherapy or in combination with CD20-targeted therapy could potentially deepen clinical responses and improve patient outcomes. 

Under terms of the deal, AstraZeneca will make an upfront payment of $100 million to TeneoTwo’s equity holders, and has promised up to $805 million in development milestone payments as well as $306 million in commercial milestones. 

TNB-486 Against Blincyto 

Blincyto received the first FDA approval of its class in 2014 for the treatment of relapsed or refractory B-cell precursor acute lymphoblastic leukemia. The approval ignited the industry’s interest in T-cell engagers, but recent studies suggest Blincyto may have unfavorable pharmacokinetics and significant toxicity. 

Proponents of TNB-486 have touted dosing advantages over Amgen’s T-cell engager, which is administered intravenously over multiple days. Preclinical research has shown that TNB-486 may also be associated with reduced cytokine secretion and hence toxicity.

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Joy Lin

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