Roche has decided to exit its pact to develop and commercialize TG4001 (RG3484), a therapeutic vaccine to treat high grade cervical intraepithelial neoplasia lesions caused by human papillomavirus infection. The product is currently in a Phase IIb clinical trial for this indication. Transgene will regain full rights to the drug this summer. In a release, Transgene stressed that Roche canceled the pact not due to poor data, but because the deal no longer makes strategic sense for the Swiss drugmaker.
"Although we are sorry to lose Roche as a corporate partner we remain committed to the product's development," said Transgene CEO Philippe Archinard. "Moreover, in this new context, the value of TG4001 for Transgene increases significantly and will of course increase even further if clinical data of the ongoing Phase IIb trial are positive," he added.
Transgene is close to finishing recruitment of a 200-person trial. Interim data are expected by the end of this year or early 2012. The French company will look for another partner for the program if the Phase II data is positive.
- see Transgene's release
- here's the report from Reuters