MediGene signs mTCR R&D deal with Sanofi Pasteur

Germany's MediGene AG has signed an agreement with Sanofi Pasteur, the vaccines unit of French drug major Sanofi-Aventis, to use its novel high-affinity monoclonal T cell receptors (mTCRs) to directly validate presentation of specific T cell epitopes important in vaccine development and clinical trials. MediGene recently acquired the mTCR technology with its purchase of Avidex and, as part of the accord, will employ the technology to create vaccine validation tools for Sanofi Pasteur that detect major histocompatibility complexes. Financial terms were not disclosed.

According to the firm, the highly innovative mTCR technology enables the production of fully-human, soluble T cell receptors with high affinity. These mTCRs recognize and bind to specific antigens presented by the MHC. The firm will undertake the research program using high-affinity mTCRs which recognise specific HLA