RXi Pharmaceuticals and MirImmune have entered into an exclusive license agreement for RXi’s novel and proprietary sd-rxRNA technology for use in developing innovative cell-based cancer immunotherapies. The collaboration has the potential to result in novel, more effective and patient friendly cancer treatments that could be a significant step toward personalized medicine.

Under the terms of the agreement, MirImmune will be responsible for all research, development, manufacturing, regulatory and commercialization activities for the licensed products. It will develop cell-based therapeutics utilizing RXi’s sd-rxRNA technology to target immune inhibitory pathways, which are responsible for limiting the efficacy of cancer immunotherapies. According to the terms, MirImmune will gain access to RXi’s sd-rxRNA and rxRNAori patent families for ex vivo modification of cells for the treatment of cancer. These patents include the composition of the sd-rxRNA and rxRNAori RNAi structures, as well as potential targets for cell-based therapeutics.

As consideration for this license, RXi will receive an annual licensing fee, clinical milestone payments, sublicensing income and single digit royalties. Pending MirImmune’s achievement of a few gating milestones, RXi will have the right to acquire a double-digit equity stake in MirImmune.