Etanercept(BetterLife Pharma, Inc.)

EPALINGES, Switzerland and MONTPELLIER, France, June 20, 2022 /PRNewswire/ -- Onward Therapeutics SA (Onward Therapeutics) and Emercell SAS (Emercell) announced today the recent exercise of Onward Therapeutics' second of three instalments of equity investment in Emercell. With this investment, Onward Therapeutics has become Emercell's majority shareholder. Emercell has developed a platform technology to produce off-the-shelf natural killer (NK) cells. NK cells are highly potent immune effectors, used alone as a monotherapy, or in combination with therapeutic antibodies, or are genetically engineered to produce Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR)-NK cells for the treatment of hematological malignancies and solid tumors. NK-001 is an optimized cell therapy product consisting of highly activated and alloreactive allogeneic NK cells. Its patented manufacturing process allows full industrialization using the same batch of NK cells for multiple patients. "This second equity investment in Emercell confirms that the NK-001 project has been advancing well since our first equity investment in February 2021, and we will be able to scale up and industrialize the production of activated NK cells rapidly, to offer new treatments for cancer patients," said Dr. C. Grace Yeh, Chairman and CEO of Onward Therapeutics. "We are pleased that the collaboration with Onward Therapeutics has reached another critical milestone. Their investment allows us to pursue the NK-001 project and focus on the production of clinical batches," declared Dr. Patrick Henno, Founder and CEO of Emercell. "We can also start looking at further optimizing our production process for NK cells and exploring other potential new cell therapies," commented Dr. Alain Herrera, Chairman of the board of Emercell. About Onward Therapeutics Onward Therapeutics is an oncology company focusing on the identification and development of innovative medicines for the treatment of cancer. The Company, led by an experienced team in translational science and drug development, acquires licenses for potential development candidates and invests in partners with transformative technology platforms. Onward Therapeutics licensed a preclinical stage bispecific antibody (OT-A201) targeting two immune checkpoints from Biomunex Pharmaceuticals SAS, Paris, France; has an exclusive option to a worldwide license agreement for an onco-metabolism program with Institut du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM); and collaborates with Emercell SAS, Montpellier, France, in the development of NK-001, allogenic natural killer cells. In addition, the Company invested in Biomunex Pharmaceuticals SAS for their multi-specific antibody platform, and in Emercell SAS for their NK cell technology. The company is headquartered at Biopôle (a life sciences campus in Epalinges), near Lausanne, Switzerland, has an affiliate in Paris, France, and an office in Taipei, Taiwan. About Emercell Emercell is an oncology company developing a platform technology to produce off-the-shelf allogenic natural killer (NK) cells. The company's R&D activities are located at the IRMB (Institute of Regenerative Medicine and Biotherapies) at the Saint-Éloi University Hospital Center, Montpellier, France. Emercell's lead drug candidate, NK-001, is intended, among others, for the treatment of lymphoma patients who are refractory to conventional therapies. It is a patented process for pre-activating and amplifying allogeneic NK (Natural Killer) cells. Emercell collaborates with numerous industrial and academic partners. The company has received the support of the Occitanie Region (ADI) and Bpifrance and has obtained a FUI (financing). Emercell is a member of Eurobiomed. SOURCE Onward Therapeutics SA; Emercell SAS

EPALINGES, Switzerland, June 8, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Onward Therapeutics (Onward) and Institut du Cancer de Montpellier (ICM) announced today the execution of an exclusive collaboration and worldwide option and license agreement based on a research program in onco-metabolism being conducted by ICM, Montpellier, France. Onward will fund this collaboration and will be able to exercise its option for multiple development candidates. ICM is eligible to receive option fees, milestones, and royalty payments. The detailed financial terms are undisclosed. Onco-metabolism is recognized as a major axis for novel potential therapeutic strategies for cancer treatment. ICM's team has already evaluated several prototypes of inhibitors in various diseases, including proof-of-principle in cancer. "We are honored to work with ICM, a renowned French not-for-profit private health institute, in this research program which encompasses the discovery of both small molecules and biologics targeting this metabolic pathway. Based on our business model, this deal strengthens our development pipeline including a bispecific antibody (OT-A201) and a NK cell therapy platform (NK-001)," said Dr. C. Grace Yeh, Chairman and CEO of Onward. "This collaboration agreement with ICM clearly illustrates our commitment to identify innovative approaches which can truly lead to breakthrough medicines for the treatment of cancer," commented Dr. Alain Herrera, President of Onward Therapeutics France SAS. "We are more than happy to have the privilege that our world-class translational project, co-managed with our strategic partners Inserm and Université de Montpellier in the Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier (IRCM), is in the scope of interest to our partner Onward Therapeutics," said Prof. Marc Ychou, Directeur Général of ICM. Onward was represented by Jonathan Burnham at HBC Avocats. ICM was represented by MCE Carrel, Alexandra Carrel and Camille Lefert. About Onward Therapeutics Onward Therapeutics SA is a development stage oncology company, focusing on the identification of innovative technologies and the development of truly breakthrough medicines for the treatment of cancer. The company, led by an experienced team in translational science and drug development, acquires licenses for potential development candidates and invests in partners with transformative technology platforms. Onward recently licensed a preclinical stage, bispecific antibody (OT-A201) targeting two immune checkpoints and invested in the Series A financing round in Biomunex Pharmaceuticals SAS, Paris, France, and made a strategic equity investment into EMERCell SAS, Montpellier, France, a company developing a preclinical stage, NK cell technology (NK-001). The company is based at Biopôle (a life sciences campus in Epalinges), near Lausanne, Switzerland, it has an affiliate in Paris, France, and also operates from Taipei, Taiwan. For more information: . About Institut du Cancer Montpellier (ICM) Created in 1923 by a French authorities' ordinance, the ICM is one of the 18 French Comprehensive Cancer Centres, all non-for-profit private establishments entirely committed to fighting cancer. Directed by Prof. Marc Ychou, the ICM is a member of the Unicancer group gathering all cancer centres in France. The ICM missions focus on a personalized and innovative global patient management (medical, psychological and social) from cancer detection to post-treatment follow-up. Over the years, the ICM rose at the forefront of the top-performing Comprehensive Cancer Centres. Research is a major founding mission of the Institute. A better understanding of the causes and mechanisms of cancer development will contribute improving disease prevention and screening, overall cancer management and patients' care and quality of life. Indeed, the ICM develops a research focused on the patient, spanning from fundamental biology to clinical applications. Research at ICM is organized in six areas: prevention, fundamental , translational, clinical and methodological research, and human and social sciences. IRCM (Institut de Recherche en Cancérologie de Montpellier), co-managed with Inserm and Université de Montpellier, is a major research asset on the ICM campus. Over 200 researchers are working side-by-side, and with the medical teams, to progress in the fight against cancer. ICM obtained the SIRIC label (Integrated Cancer Research Center) in 2017, for the second time, from the National Cancer Institute (INCa). View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Onward Therapeutics SA