Axis Therapeutics Limited based in the US and Hong Kong, a joint venture between Athenex, Inc. and Xiangxue Life Sciences Limited, focused on the research, development, and commercialization of T cell immunotherapy, has announced that it has entered into a research collaboration with Taiwan based PharmaEssentia Corporation.

The collaboration involves the development of T Cell Receptor (TCR)-T therapy (based on the proprietary TAEST (T cell receptor Affinity Enhancing Specific T cell therapy) technology platform) in Taiwan.

Under the terms of the agreement, Axis Therapeutics and PharmaEssentia will collaborate to conduct an initial clinical study of Axis Therapeutics’ TCRT-ESO-A2 therapy, targeting solid tumors that are NY-ESO-1 positive in HLA-A*02:01 positive patients, and to manufacture the investigational products, in Taiwan.

PharmaEssentia will be responsible for all activities relating to the clinical development in Taiwan.

Athenex recently announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has allowed the Investigational New Drug (IND) application for this same compound.