TESARO and MD Anderson announce immuno-oncology collaboration and exclusive license

MD Anderson News Release March 29, 2016

TESARO, Inc., an oncology focused biopharmaceutical company, and the Institute for Applied Cancer Science at The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center today announced an exclusive collaboration to discover and develop small molecule product candidates against undisclosed immuno-oncology targets. This collaboration leverages MD Anderson’s expertise in drug discovery and translational medicine and TESARO’s oncology drug development and commercialization capabilities.

MD Anderson’s Institute for Applied Cancer Science (IACS) is a fully integrated drug discovery and development group that aims to transform cancer care through the discovery and deployment of impactful new drugs to eliminate cancer.  The TESARO collaboration is IACS’s first to specifically focus on small molecule drug discovery.

“We are excited to be partnering with the exceptional group of drug hunters at MD Anderson’s IACS to identify drug candidates against targets we collectively believe will build upon the recognized promise of immuno-oncology for patients living with cancer,” said Mary Lynne Hedley, Ph.D., president and COO of TESARO. “We intend for this partnership to expand and complement TESARO’s existing portfolio of immuno-oncology programs and we continue to believe that immuno-oncology will transform our approach to cancer therapy.”

Under terms of the agreement, TESARO will receive exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize any small molecule product candidates that result from this collaboration. MD Anderson will be responsible for conducting research activities aimed at identifying clinical candidates with defined characteristics targeting certain immuno-oncology targets. TESARO will fund research, development, and commercialization expenses for this collaboration. Additional terms of this agreement were not disclosed.

“This synergistic partnership provides an opportunity to fast-track novel immune-modulating therapies toward our cancer patients,” said Phil Jones, Ph.D., executive director and head of the IACS platform. “This alliance is optimally aligned with IACS’ mission to rapidly advance impactful therapies into clinical practice.”