Adaptimmune Completes Transition of Pioneering T-Cell Therapy to GSK – Will Receive $27 Million Payment

  • GSK ‘794 is an engineered T-cell therapy using patient's own cells
  • Ptoential payments to Adaptimmune could be as much as $500 million
  • Adaptimmune as three additional TCR therapy candidates under development


GlaxoSmithKline plc and Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc (Nasdaq:ADAP) announced on 7/24/18 the transition of the development program for GSK3377794 (GSK ‘794), an NY-ESO SPEAR T-cell therapy, to GSK. As a result of the transition, GSK assumes full responsibility for future research, development, and potential commercialization of this pioneering therapy, and Adaptimmune will receive $27.5 million (£21.2 million) from GSK.

Dr. Hal Barron, President R&D, GSK said, “The data we’ve seen for GSK ‘794 point to the potentially transformational nature of this T-cell therapy, as this is the first cell therapy to show clinical response in solid tumours. The concept of cells as medicines is an exciting component of our immuno-oncology portfolio and leverages our expertise in manufacturing T-cell therapies.  This has been a productive collaboration on GSK ‘794 and we look forward to continued collaboration with Adaptimmune.”

“This is a turning point for Adaptimmune. We are extremely proud of the partnership with GSK and the pioneering work we have led over the years with NY-ESO SPEAR T-cells, as the foundation of our targeted TCR therapies, showing responses in two solid tumors and treating more than 80 patients in six different indications,” said James Noble, Chief Executive Officer at Adaptimmune. “With the NY‑ESO program transitioned, Adaptimmune can focus its clinical, regulatory and manufacturing resources on the development of our wholly owned therapies MAGE-A4, MAGE-A10, and AFP. We will continue the preclinical work with GSK on its next target, PRAME.”

GSK ‘794 is an engineered T-cell therapy, for which a patient’s own cells have been genetically modified to express a T-cell receptor (TCR) recognizing with high affinity the tumor-specific antigen, NY-ESO. When the modified cells are re-infused into the patient, they recognize and kill tumor cells that express the NY-ESO antigen. NY-ESO is expressed at various levels across different tumors, and appears to be expressed at high levels in defined sub-types of soft tissue sarcomas, melanoma, multiple myeloma, bladder cancer, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), ovarian cancer and gastro-intestinal cancers.

Effective immediately, GSK will assume responsibilities for all ongoing studies of NY-ESO SPEAR T‑cells, including those in NSCLC, and the combination study with KEYTRUDA® in multiple myeloma. Successful continuation of development and subsequent commercialization of GSK ‘794 will trigger additional payments for development milestones, tiered sales milestones, and mid-single to low double-digit royalties on worldwide net sales.

Adaptimmune's potential payout could be as much as $500 million. In addition to GSK '794, Adaptimmune has three other wholly-owned TCR candidates in Ph I development.