Roche collaborates with Blueprint Medicines Corporation to develop cancer immunotherapy treatments

Pharmaceutical firm Roche has entered a collaboration with Blueprint Medicines Corporation to develop and distribute cancer immunotherapy treatments.

The worldwide partnership and exclusive licence agreement will see them focus on creating and rolling out up to five small molecule therapeutics targeting kinases believed to be important in cancer immunotherapy.

Jeff Alberts, chief executive officer of Blueprint Medicines, commented: "We believe Blueprint Medicines' proprietary drug discovery platform and expertise in immunokinases, combined with our proven ability to move quickly through drug discovery, is a perfect complement to Roche's expertise with cancer immunotherapy biology and in developing and commercialising innovative therapies."

He confirmed that Blueprint Medicines will lead preclinical research and development through Phase 1 proof of concept for all five programs and retain US commercial rights for two programs. 

Mr Alberts added that this "highly collaborative relationship" will enable it to speed up its work in the emerging field of cancer immunotherapy.