MediGene

MediGene AG is a publicly listed immuno-oncology platform company focused on developing T cell receptor (TCR)-guided therapies for cancer. Founded in 1994 as a spin-off from the Munich Gene Center, the company has its headquarters in Martinsried, near Munich, Germany. One of its founders was the biochemistry professor Horst Domdey. A significant milestone was the company's IPO on the Frankfurt Stock Exchange in 2000.

The company's business model centers on the research and development of its own therapies towards clinical proof-of-concept, while also entering into strategic partnerships with other biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies. Revenue is primarily generated through these partnerships, which can include upfront payments, milestone payments, and potential future royalties. Medigene has established major collaborations with companies like BioNTech, Regeneron (via an acquisition from 2seventy bio), and WuXi Biologics to discover and develop TCR-based immunotherapies.

MediGene's core technology is its proprietary End-to-End (E2E) Platform, designed to discover, generate, and optimize what it terms 3S (sensitive, specific, and safe) TCRs. This platform allows the company to develop TCR-engineered T cell (TCR-T) therapies, which involve genetically modifying a patient's own T cells to recognize and attack cancer cells. The E2E Platform also includes product enhancement technologies, such as costimulatory switch proteins like PD1-41BB, which help the engineered T cells to function more effectively within the hostile tumor microenvironment. The company's capabilities extend to different modalities, including autologous TCR-T therapies and 'off-the-shelf' T-Cell Engagers (TCR-TCEs).

The company's pipeline includes several programs at various stages of development. Its lead candidate, MDG1015, is a TCR-T therapy targeting NY-ESO-1/LAGE-1a, an antigen found in various solid tumors like gastric and ovarian cancer. The development of MDG1015 has been put on hold pending additional financing or partnerships. Other pipeline programs target cancer-driving mutations such as KRAS. Following a strategic restructuring to reduce cash burn, Medigene is now prioritizing its work on allogeneic (off-the-shelf) TCR therapies and its partnered TCR-TCE program with WuXi Biologics.

Keywords: T-cell therapy, immuno-oncology, TCR-T, cancer treatment, biotechnology, solid tumors, T cell receptor, cell therapy, End-to-End Platform, clinical development, Martinsried, Horst Domdey, Dolores J. Schendel, BioNTech partnership, WuXi Biologics, 3S TCRs, PD1-41BB switch protein, MDG1015, NY-ESO-1, KRAS target, T-Cell Engagers, allogeneic therapies, autologous therapies, immunotherapy platform, cancer research, genetic engineering