Bellicum Pharmaceuticals Inc. (BLCM) stock prices were up by 8.58% some time after market trading commenced on September 1st, 2021. This brought the price per share up toUSD$3.29 early on in the trading day.
BLCM Stock Announces new Partnership
September 1st, 2021 saw BLCM stock announce a global option and license agreement with the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. This agreement serves to cover certain intellectual property and technology rights regarding the company’s CaspaCIDe safety switch and related technologies, and the use of rimiducid. Rimiducid is an agent used to activate the safety switch. As per the agreement, MD Anderson will have the option to incorporate CaspaCIDe into certain cellular therapy programs.
BLCM Stock’s CaspaCIDe
BLCM stock’s CaspaCIDe safety switch has the potential to facilitate the use of cell therapies where cytokine release syndrome and neurotoxicities have been observed. This is in the interest of pursuing novel targets with on-target/off-tumor safety concerns, as well as in conjunction with next-generation higher potency cell therapy constructs.
Expanded Collaboration with MD Anderson
The expansion of the CaspaCIDe agreement with MD Anderson is set to include a broader set of programs to benefit cancer patients. The company’s proprietary switch technology has the potential to enhance the benefit/risk profile of cell therapies. To this end, BLCM stock is continuing to allocate resources towards capitalizing on opportunities to expand its use via external collaborations with other leaders in the oncological healthcare field.
Scope of Agreement
The exercising of each option is typically expected to be upon the out-license of an MD Anderson program that will incorporate iC9. This will result in the company receiving an upfront payment, as well as entitlement to a percentage of certain consideration paid to the partnering company by the third party. BLCM stock will also receive a single-digit-percent royalty on global sales of the product. BLCM and MD Anderson have agreed on the first two programs for development in conjunction with the execution of the agreement. The agreement expands on an existing collaboration between the two companies, which covers the use of CaspaCIDe in a specific MD Anderson cell therapy program.
Future Outlook for BLCM Stock
The company reported a stellar quarter, consolidated by the expansion of its partnership with MD Anderson. BLCM stock is poised to capitalize on the opportunities presented to it as a result of its expansive collaboration. Current and potential investors are hopeful that management will be able to effectively usher in a continued trajectory of success.
