BioWorld International Correspondent

PARIS - Following the go-ahead it obtained from the FDA in May to conduct a Phase III trial of a cell therapy for ovarian cancer, Immuno-Designed Molecules SA has set up a U.S. operation in Irvine, Calif., in addition to its research center in Montreal.

At the same time, the Paris-based cell therapy company signed a co-development agreement with Medarex Inc., of Princeton, N.J., for the use of the latter's MDX-010 antibody, an anti-CTLA4 blocker, in association with certain of its cell therapies. MDX-010 is a totally humanized antibody that enhances immune responses by prolonging the interaction between dendritic cells and T lymphocytes, and IDM said it hopes the immunotherapeutic effects of some of its cell drugs and therapeutic vaccines will be extended by incorporating the antibody in them.

The first IDM product in which MDX-010 is to be used is Eladem, a therapeutic vaccine for prostate cancer that already has completed one Phase II trial. A Phase IIb trial is due to be under way later this year to test its efficacy when combined with MDX-010. IDM's chairman, Jean-Loup Romet-Lemonne, stressed the scientific interest of testing that hypothesis. If the results are positive, he told BioWorld International, the two companies would have equal rights to exploit them.

This is the second such agreement IDM has concluded with Medarex. In October 2000, the companies signed a licensing and distribution agreement giving IDM the right to use three other Medarex antibodies - MDX-210, MDX-220 and MDX-447. The deal gave IDM worldwide rights for the utilization of MDX-210, which it already was using in its leading cell drug, a therapy for ovarian cancer based on the use of monocyte-derived activated killer cells that is now in Phase III trials. The MDX-220 antibody was to be used in IDM's cell drug for colon and prostate cancer and MDX-447 in a therapy for tumors overexpressing the epidermal growth factor receptor.

IDM's newly created U.S. operation consists of the offices and laboratories of the former Nexell Therapeutics, a spin-off of Baxter Healthcare specialized in immunology. Romet-Lemonne said that IDM had learned of Baxter's intention to close Nexell and decided to take over the lease on its premises and recruit a number of its staff. It thus inherited an operational site, with the equipment and the personnel to go with it.

IDM now has 120 employees.