On January 7, 2019 NANOBIOTIX (Euronext : NANO – ISIN : FR0011341205) and The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center reported a large-scale, comprehensive clinical research collaboration to evaluate innovative strategies for treating patients with head and neck, pancreatic, thoracic, lung, gastrointestinal and genitourinary cancers (Press release, Nanobiotix, JAN 7, 2019, View Source [SID1234532558]).

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The collaboration will expand clinicaldevelopment of NBTXR3, a first-in-class agent designed to physically destroy cancer cells when activated by radiotherapy and to activate the immune system for both local control and systemic disease treatment.

MD Anderson will initially conductthe launch of nine new phase I/II clinical trials-involving around 340 patients-focused on evaluating the potential clinical benefit of NBTXR3 when activated by radiotherapy, either as a monotherapy or in combination with checkpoint inhibitors. The planned trials also will look at various disease stages, including low-risk/good prognostic patients, locally advanced disease, and metastatic disease. The trials will studyNBTXR3 across different radiation modalities such as radiation, re-irradiation, and compare different levels of intensity of radiation, to evaluate whether the addition of NBTXR3 to radiotherapy will improve progression-free survival, loco-regional control, quality of life and organ preservation.

Dr. Thomas Morris, Global Head of Development, Nanobiotix, said "It is important for Nanobiotix to collaborate with academic institutionsto develop a broad spectrum of clinical trials in an expedited fashion. This is a tremendous opportunity to strengthen our scientific and clinical understanding of the potential of NBTXR3 across the wide range of cancers treated with radiotherapy, with the goal of benefitting patients by applying novel research and bringing forward an innovative therapy. The collaboration between Nanobiotix and MD Anderson expands the number of NBTXR3 clinical trials to 16, illustrating our dedication to identify more effective treatments for cancer patients.

As part of the funding scheme for this collaboration, part of the payment will be made at the start of the collaboration. Other parts will be paid during development and the balance in case of FDA registration for a total of $12M investment.

This new collaboration between Nanobiotix and MD Anderson follows up the immunotherapeutic pre-clinical research collaboration, launched in April 2018, in lung cancer to explore NBTXR3 potential in immuno-oncology with checkpoint inhibitors, as well as its potential to control metastatic disease.

About NBTXR3 NBTXR3 is a first-in-class product designed to destroy, when activated by radiotherapy:
• tumors through physical cell death
• metastasis due to immunogenic cell death leading to activation of the immune system
NBTXR3 has a high degree of biocompatibility, requires one single administration before the whole radiotherapy treatment.

NBTXR3 is a late clinical stage product which has shown the potential for clinical benefit in advanced STS phase III randomized clinical trial.

NBTXR3 is actively being evaluated in head and neck cancer with locally advanced squamous cell carcinoma of the oral cavity or 2 oropharynx in elderly and frail patients unable to receive chemotherapy. The other ongoing studies are treating patients with liver cancers (hepatocellular carcinoma and liver metastasis), locally advanced or unresectable rectal cancer in combination with chemotherapy, head and neck cancer in combination with concurrent chemotherapy, and prostate adenocarcinoma.

Nanobiotix is also running an Immuno-Oncology development program. In the U.S., the Company received the FDA’s approval to launch a clinical study of NBTXR3 activated by radiotherapy in combination with anti-PD1 antibodies in lung, and head and neck cancer patients (head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and non-small cell lung cancer).