Aduro Biotech, Inc., a clinical-stage immunotherapy company, has established European subsidiary headquarters at the BioNovion site in Oss, Netherlands now called Aduro Biotech Europe. On October 30, 2015, Aduro acquired BioNovion, a biopharmaceutical antibody discovery and development company, to broaden its technology portfolio and increase its immunotherapy capabilities.

In addition to Aduro's established LADD and CDN technologies, Aduro's new combined offerings include the B-select monoclonal antibodies (B-select) platform, which is designed to produce agonist and antagonist monoclonal antibodies. Aduro’s LADD technology platform is based on proprietary attenuated strains of Listeria that have been engineered to express tumor-associated antigens to induce specific and targeted immune responses. This platform is being developed as a treatment for multiple indications, including pancreatic, lung and prostate cancers, mesothelioma and glioblastoma. Aduro’s cyclic dinucleotide (CDN) platform is designed to activate the intracellular STING receptor, resulting in a tumor-specific immune response

Monoclonal antibody expertise will remain in the Aduro Biotech Europe office in the Netherlands, which will operate as a subsidiary. Andrea van Elsas, Ph.D. and Hans van Eenennaam, Ph.D, chief scientific officer and chief operating officer of BioNovion respectively, will retain their roles and titles at Aduro Biotech Europe.

Near-term clinical development plans include the initiation of a global Phase III trial to evaluate the combination of CRS-207, a LADD-based immunotherapy, and standard-of-care chemotherapy in patients with unresectable malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM). Clinical trial sites in Europe will open in 2016. MPM is a rare and difficult-to-treat cancer that is commonly associated with asbestos exposure.

Source: Aduro Biotech