Active Biotech announced it has entered into an exclusive license agreement with Oncode Institute in the Netherlands, for the global rights to patents relating to the use of tasquinimod and other inhibitors of S100 for use in treatment of myelofibrosis (MF).

Under the terms of the agreement, Oncode Institute, a foundation incorporated under the laws of the Netherlands, acting on behalf of Erasmus Universiteit Medisch Centrum (Erasmus MC), grants a global exclusive license to develop and commercialize tasquinimod worldwide in MF to Active Biotech. Active Biotech will pay to Oncode Institute, contingent of marketing approval, milestones as well as low single-digit royalties on net sales.

Recently, Dr. Rebekka Schneiders group at Erasmus MC in Rotterdam published data showing that tasquinimod ameliorated the disease in an experimental MF mouse model (Leimkuhler et al., Cell Stem Cell. 2021 Apr 1;28(4):637-652). The data presented in the publication show that treatment with tasquinimod results in normal blood counts, reduction of fibrosis in the bone marrow and normalization of spleen size in this mouse model. The results suggest that tasquinimod can act as a disease modifying agent in MF.

Active Biotech and Erasmus MC will initiate a research collaboration related to use of tasquinimod in MF, that includes preclinical as well as a clinical proof of concept study in patients with MF. The clinical study will be financed by Oncode.

“Licensing of these patent rights is an important step in the potential broadening of the scope for tasquinimod in the area of hematological malignances with high unmet medical need. There are only limited treatments available for MF and we look forward to work together with Rebekka Schneider and her team at Erasmus MC to further explore the opportunity of tasquinimod in the disease”, said Helén Tuvesson, CEO Active Biotech.