Ariad licenses Argent technology to develop new cancer therapies

Ariad will have an equity stake in Bellicum and will receive additional payments based on certain development, regulatory and commercial milestones achieved by the company. Products in this partnership will use Ariad’s small-molecule dimerizer drug, AP1903, which already has successfully completed a phase I clinical trial.

“This partnership was established to create additional value for Ariad based on our Argent technology without the need to invest in the development costs associated with these efforts,” said Harvey Berger, chairman and CEO of Ariad. “Our primary internal focus remains the development and commercialization of our lead oncology product candidate, AP23573, initially in advanced sarcomas, followed by a series of further indications in oncology.”

The license and equity ownership agreement with Bellicum originated as academic collaborations with scientists from Baylor College of Medicine. The scientists worked extensively with Ariad’s cell-signaling regulation technologies as part of the company’s technology access program.

The Argent technology permits control of intracellular processes with small molecules, which is useful in the development of therapeutic vaccines and gene and cell therapy products.