IASO Biotechnology has completed its acquisition of Singapore-based MediSix Therapeutics, expanding its international cell therapy capabilities and adding MediSix’s T-cell engineering platform and clinical pipeline to its portfolio.
Founded in 2016, MediSix Therapeutics is an immune cell engineering and cell therapy company based in Singapore. The company was established from the research of Professor Dario Campana, a translational immunology researcher at the National University of Singapore and an early pioneer of 4-1BB co-stimulatory domain CAR technology.
MediSix’s proprietary PEBL, or Protein Expression Blocker, platform is designed to address fratricide in CAR-T therapies targeting T-cell malignancies by blocking the expression of selected proteins on the surface of engineered T cells.
This approach enables the development of CAR-T therapies against antigens shared by both malignant T cells and the therapeutic T cells themselves.
The company is developing both ex vivo and in vivo CAR-T approaches across haematological malignancies, solid tumours and other diseases.
MediSix’s lead programme, IASO107, formerly known as PCART7, is currently undergoing clinical evaluation in collaboration with international research hospitals. IASO Bio said early clinical experience has shown efficacy and safety signals.
“This acquisition represents a major milestone in the company's globalization strategy. MediSix has an outstanding scientific team and a differentiated PEBL technology platform with unique advantages in T-cell malignancies and AML that strongly complement IASO Bio's existing pipeline,” said Zhang Jinhua, Founder, Chairwoman and CEO of IASO Bio.
She added that MediSix will continue to develop follow-on products using its platform while drawing on IASO Bio’s CMC and clinical development capabilities to support further international development.
IASO Bio said the acquisition will also expand its international R&D team and collaboration network in cell therapy.
Mike Carusi, Chairman of MediSix and Managing Partner of Lightstone Ventures, said IASO Bio’s manufacturing and clinical-development capabilities complement MediSix’s cell engineering platform.
“IASO Bio brings a proven full-process platform, deep CMC and clinical development expertise, and a demonstrated track record of advancing a CAR-T therapy from the laboratory to commercial approval — a strong complement to MediSix's PEBL platform and T-cell engineering strengths.”
Khoo Shih, CEO of ClavystBio, said the combination could accelerate development and broaden access to cell therapies internationally.
IASO Bio currently has a pipeline of 10 marketed and investigational products spanning cell therapies and biologics for haematological malignancies and autoimmune diseases.
Its core product, Equecabtagene Autoleucel Injection, is approved in China for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma in patients who have progressed after at least three prior lines of therapy.
The company is also developing the therapy in earlier-line multiple myeloma and autoimmune diseases including myasthenia gravis, multiple sclerosis, systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis.
