WALTHAM, Mass. — BostonGene said it has entered into a strategic collaboration with Ottimo Pharma to accelerate the clinical development of a first-in-class immuno-oncology therapy by applying artificial intelligence to precision patient selection and trial design.
Under the agreement, BostonGene will deploy its AI foundation model for tumor and immune biology to support the development of Ottimo’s lead candidate, OTP-01, a novel bifunctional antibody designed to simultaneously inhibit PD-1 and VEGFR2 signaling pathways. The companies said the approach is intended to enhance anti-tumor immune responses while addressing both primary and acquired resistance that can limit the effectiveness of existing immuno-oncology treatments.
“The challenge of immune resistance in cancer treatment requires clinically precise solutions that address not only immune suppression, but also immune exclusion,” said Robert Tighe, senior vice president of preclinical and translational sciences at Ottimo Pharma. “OTP-01’s novel dual mechanism is designed to address both by combining immune checkpoint blockade with VEGFR2-targeted vascular normalizing activity to improve immune cell access and enable more effective antitumor immune responses. Our collaboration with BostonGene provides a promising opportunity to establish a robust, data-driven development blueprint by helping us identify the patients most likely to benefit from this differentiated therapy.”
As part of the collaboration, BostonGene will integrate preclinical data, early clinical signals, multiomic analyses, and tumor microenvironment insights to generate biological hypotheses, define optimal first-in-human strategies, and refine translational and correlative study elements. The work is expected to support Phase I and Phase IIA decision-making, with the goal of reducing development risk and accelerating progress toward commercialization.
“Ottimo is at the forefront of engineering next-generation I-O molecules, and OTP-01 represents a significant advancement,” said Ferran Prat, PhD, JD, chief commercial officer at BostonGene. “Our powerful analytical engine is ideally suited to process the complexity of multiomic data generated by a dual-mechanism drug like OTP-01. By leveraging our AI foundation model, we will deliver the precision insights necessary for optimal patient stratification and clinical execution, ensuring this highly promising therapy reaches patients as efficiently as possible.”
The companies said the collaboration includes a shared-upside structure tied to clinical, regulatory, and commercial milestones, reflecting a long-term alignment of interests as OTP-01 advances through development.
