Partners
Driving innovation through strategic collaborations
Since its incorporation, Celyad Oncology has built strong partnerships with key international academic institutions and strategic organizations in order to maximize the therapeutic potential of its product candidates and intellectual property.
We welcome parties interested in working with Celyad Oncology to contact us at bd@celyad.com.
We are continually exploring opportunities to fully harness the true potential of technology platforms and intellectual property, enhance our rich pipeline of CAR T cell therapies and support the development of next-generation candidates
Celdara Medical
In 2015, we acquired the oncology division of the privately-held U.S. biotechnology company Celdara Medical. The acquisition included a licenses portfolio of immuno-oncology CAR T product candidates including programs focused on the human Natural Killer cell receptor, NKG2D, which targets stress ligands expressed on a wide range of cancers. In addition, Celyad Oncology also gained rights to the non-gene edited allogeneic T cell receptor (TCR) Inhibitory Molecule (TIM) technology as well as the U.S. patent portfolio related to the production of allogeneic CAR T cell therapies.
Dartmouth College
The CAR technology developed by Celyad Oncology uses human NK cell receptors which, unlike traditional CAR technologies, have the potential to target a broad range of hematological malignancies and solid tumors via a human natural receptor that targets ligands present on most tumor types. The research underlying this technology was originally conducted by Dartmouth College Professor Charles Sentman, and has been published in numerous peer-reviewed publications such as Journal of Immunology, Cancer Research and Blood.
Horizon Discovery
In 2018, Celyad Oncology announced an exclusive license agreement with Horizon Discovery for the use of Horizon’s SMARTvector short hairpin RNA (shRNA) technology platform to generate novel CAR T candidates including non-gene edited allogeneic CAR T therapies. To date, Celyad Oncology has incorporated the SMARTvector technology both in its next-generation, autologous NKG2D receptor candidate CYAD-02 and the first-in-class shRNA-based allogeneic CAR T candidate CYAD-211 for the treatment of relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.
MSD
In September 2020, the Company has entered into a clinical trial collaboration with MSD, a tradename of Merck & Co., Inc., Kenilworth, NJ., USA, through a subsidiary.
Celyad Oncology will conduct the Phase 1b KEYNOTE-B79 clinical trial, which will evaluate Celyad Oncology’s investigational non-gene edited allogeneic CAR T candidate, CYAD-101, following FOLFOX preconditioning chemotherapy, with MSD’s anti-PD-1 therapy, KEYTRUDA® (pembrolizumab) in refractory metastatic colorectal cancer (mCRC) patients with microsatellite stable (MSS) / mismatch-repair proficient (pMMR) disease.
Novartis
In May 2017, we signed a non-exclusive license agreement with Novartis related to our U.S patents for the production of allogeneic CAR T cell therapies associated with two undisclosed targets. The agreement includes Celyad Oncology’s intellectual property rights under United States Patent No. 9,181,527 related to allogeneic human primary T cells that are engineered to be T Cell Receptor (TCR) deficient and express a Chimeric Antigen Receptor (CAR).
Under the terms of the agreement Celyad Oncology received an upfront payment and is eligible to receive success-based milestones and royalties based on net sales of the licensed target associated products. Celyad Oncology retains all rights to grant further licenses to third parties for the use of allogeneic CAR T cells.
Walloon Region of Belgium
In 2019, Celyad Oncology announced that the company received €11 Million in Grants and Non-Dilutive Funding by the Walloon Region. These funds will help support the development of the Company’s CAR T candidates, including CYAD-01 and CYAD-02 for the treatment of relapsed/refractory acute myeloid leukemia, as well as next-generation approaches currently in preclinical development.
In July 2020, the Company was awarded an additional €3.3 million in non-dilutive funding in the form of recoverable cash advances by the Walloon Region associated with Company’s lead allogenic CAR T candidate CYAD-101. The regional funding will help support the development of CYAD-101 for the treatment of mCRC, including the launch of the expansion segment of the ongoing alloSHRINK trial. The funding for technological innovation received on behalf of the Walloon Region was approved by Mr. Willy Borsus, Vice President of Wallonia, Minister of Economy, Foreign Trade, Research and Innovation, Digital, Agriculture and Territorial Development.
In December 2020, The Company received an additional €3.4 million in non-dilutive funding from the SPW-Recherche of the Walloon Region, which will support the development of CYAD 211.
