BioMed X Institute and Ono Pharmaceutical Launch New Collaboration in Cancer Research

• German research institute BioMed X and Ono Pharmaceutical, a Japanese pharmaceutical company, started a new joint research project on cancer immunotherapies.

Heidelberg, Germany, December 19, 2023. BioMed X announced today a new joint research project with Ono Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd, marking the start of the collaboration between the German biomedical research institute and one of the largest pharmaceutical companies in Japan. The project entitled “New Strategies to Engage Neutrophils in Solid Tumors” will be hosted by the BioMed X Institute in Heidelberg, Germany. The goal of this research project is to design next-generation immunotherapies by leveraging the antitumor effects of neutrophils.

Developing immunotherapies that target T cells has proved highly effective, and it is still a rapidly evolving research area. However, many patients remain resistant to these therapies, necessitating the development of novel immunological strategies. The presence of neutrophils in solid tumors has been well-documented, albeit their role in the tumor microenvironment seems to be paradoxical according to the data accumulated thus far. By uncovering novel neutrophil biology, this project aims to leverage their functions to design novel immunotherapies.

The new research team will join nine other research groups at the BioMed X Institute in Heidelberg, Germany. Researchers who are interested in becoming part of this new research group are invited to respond to this international call for application by submitting a project proposal via the BioMed X Career Space at https://career.bio.mx/call/2023-BMX-C03 before February 18, 2024.

Christian Tidona, Founder and Managing Director of the BioMed X Institute: “Oncology and immunology, including tumor immunology, are key areas of expertise at BioMed X. We are proud and honored that Ono has chosen our institute to develop new strategies for engaging neutrophils in cancer therapy”.

Toichi Takino, Senior Executive Officer/Executive Director, Discovery & Research at Ono Pharmaceutical: “We are very pleased to form a partnership with BioMed X in our mission dedicated to overcoming cancer. This innovative research collaboration will engage us with highly talented scientists around the world who possess unique ideas for immunotherapy utilizing neutrophils. We believe that the research team established through this collaboration will lead to the discovery of the next generation of immunotherapy with us”.