JW Therapeutics announced an exclusive collaboration with 2seventy bio, for the co-development and commercialization of a chimeric antigen receptor (CAR) T-cell therapy product for autoimmune diseases (AID program) in Greater China. Pursuant to the collaboration agreement, JW Therapeutics will initiate process development and First-in-Human clinical trial in China, with both parties sharing the cost. Within a specified period, JW Therape therapeutics will have the right to negotiate for an exclusive license to develop, manufacture, and commercialize the product in Greater China.

Additionally, the company will be eligible to receive from 2seventy bio up to high double digit million US dollars development, regulatory, and sales milestones, and potentially royalty payments on worldwide net sales, excluding Greater China. The strategic alliance is an extension of the partnership that was established in 2022 for the MAGE-A4 program and builds upon JW Therapeutics' cell therapy development capabilities originally designed to more rapidly explore and validate T cell-based immunotherapy therapy products in Greater China. The decision to enter into this collaboration was based on the shared belief that leveraging the respective resources and expertise of both companies would create mutual benefits and synergy.

The collaboration marks a significant milestone for JW Therapeutics as it continues to expand its cell therapy development capabilities. JW Therapeutics believes that this collaboration provides a valuable opportunity to further its mission of developing transformative cell therapies for patients with autoimmune diseases. The AID program is a natural extension of 2seventy bio's research and clinical expertise in developing CAR T cell therapies to target B cells and plasma cells, the key cell types that drive the pathobiology of autoimmune diseases.

This drug product has been designed to achieve the necessary breadth and depth of target cell depletion to potentially provide a superior outcome for patients suffering from B cell driven autoimmune diseases.