United States-based Brooklyn ImmunoTherapeutics has acquired the assets of IRX Therapeutics, a company that develops immune therapies to treat cancer and related diseases, it was reported yesterday.

Financial details of the deal were not revealed.

Brooklyn ImmunoTherapeutics general partner and board chair, Charles Cherington, said, 'Cytokine-based immunotherapy overcomes immune suppression to activate an immune attack on tumours by upregulating multiple checkpoints and represents an exciting new approach to treating cancer. In a Phase 2A clinical trial, IRX-2, our clinical drug candidate, demonstrated an improvement in progression free survival and overall survival in patients with head and neck squamous cell carcinoma. We believe this unique injectable cytokine mixture amplified from normal donor lymphocytes has the potential to improve patient outcomes both as a single agent and in combination with other anti-cancer agents. We are committed to exploring this potential in a range of solid tumours including breast cancer, cervical and vulvar neoplasms, renal cell carcinoma, hepatocellular carcinoma, gastric and oesophageal cancer as well as other solid tumour indications.'