Roche’s decision was based on the prioritization of resources in its portfolio. TB-403 was licensed to Roche in 2008.
ThromboGenics and BioInvent plan to evaluate the potential of the monoclonal antibody against placental growth factor (PlGF) in certain cancer and non-cancer indications, including ophthalmology.
ThromboGenics CEO Patrik De Haes said regaining all rights to TB-403, an antibody which blocks PIGF, will allow the company to evaluate its potential as a treatment for a number of significant retinal diseases including diabetic retinopathy and AMD.
Clinical studies to-date with TB-403 have shown that it is safe and well tolerated.
BioInvent CEO Svein Mathisen said, "TB-403’s ability to selectively block the formation of new blood vessels provides us with a therapeutic antibody candidate that could have potential in indications where it has so far not been fully assessed."