Mongoose Bio has signed a strategic partnership with Texas-based viral vector CDMO Matica Biotechnology focused on the development and production of lentivirus for Mongoose’s T cell receptor-engineered T cell (TCR-T) pipeline for cancer treatment.
Per the deal, Matica will provide process development, analytical method development, and the manufacturing of non-clinical and clinical materials of the viral vector. The resulting lentivirus vector will be used as an intermediate product in the manufacturing of the final TCR-T cell therapy.
Mongoose, which is also Texas-based, focuses on reprogramming T cells for extensive coverage of solid tumors with long-lasting immunoprotection, including common and rare types. The company’s lead asset, MGB-001, is a preclinical, high-affinity TCR-T. According to the biotech, unlike other TCRs on the market, ID/validation of this TCR epitope was rigorously selected from an unbiased pool of 1000s of well-curated MHC-eluted peptides, empirically validated, and clinically annotated to target pan-cancers. MGB-001is highly immunogenic, targets a protein broadly expressed by many solid tumors, and addresses HLA subtypes representing at least 60% of the global patient population in common cancers. Importantly, there is no off-target activity due to high specificity for the expected target tumor cells.