Mestag Therapeutics co-steers anti-cancer proposition

It wouldn’t take Hercule Poirot to detect that a collaboration between Cambridge immunotherapy company Mestag and VIB – the leading life science research institute in Flanders – holds potentially major implications for cancer patients.

Mestag Therapeutics focuses on fibroblast-immune interactions; under the agreement with VIB – based in the Dutch-speaking northern Belgium territory – it obtains the exclusive worldwide rights to a panel of single domain antibodies – also known as Nanobodies®.

These will be aimed at an undisclosed target that plays a central role in anti-cancer immunity.

Mestag will be responsible for the research, development and commercialisation of the antibodies, which are the outcome of many years of leading-edge research within VIB. 

In return, VIB will receive an undisclosed upfront payment, future success- based milestones and royalty payments.

Susan Hill, Mestag’s CEO, said: “We are delighted to partner with VIB, one of the premier research institutes in Europe and a leader in nanobody technology and cancer biology. 

“This agreement further strengthens Mestag’s first-in-class pipeline and targets an exciting new area of fibroblast-immune cancer biology.”

Jérôme Van Biervliet, Managing Director of VIB. added: “We are thrilled to work with Mestag which brings together a unique expertise set in fibroblast-immune biology and a deep understanding of antibody engineering and development. The company is perfectly positioned to take this promising programme forward.”