Spectrum bags cancer drugs, interferon platform from ImmunGene

Spectrum Pharmaceuticals has acquired an early-phase anti-CD20 cancer asset from ImmunGene as part of a broader deal. The agreement gives Spectrum an antibody-interferon fusion technology drug delivery platform designed to generate oncology candidates.

University of California, Los Angeles scientists developed the platform, dubbed FIT, to fuse interferon with antibodies against tumor antigens. Interferon was hailed as a cancer breakthrough in the 1970s, only for systemic toxicity to restrict it to a marginal role in tr