SQZ Biotechnologies and Roche have expanded their three-year cell therapy partnership to develop antigen-presenting cells (APCs) for immuno-oncology. The biotech gains $125 million up front and in near-term milestones, and up to $250 million in total milestones per product. The partners aim to generate APCs powered up to directly provoke killer (CD8+) T cells into action.

The CellSqueeze technology consists of a microchip that gently forces APCs to pass through a narrow channel in a microfluidic device. The pressure temporarily disrupts the cell membrane and creates pores that allow external substances—including whole proteins and potentially tumor lysates—to penetrate the cells. This type of mechanoporation is gentler to cell integrity and causes fewer gene expression changes than electroporation. In this collaboration, the APCs will be derived from the patient's own peripheral blood mononuclear cells and loaded with tumor antigens using SQZ's platform.

As the approach does not require genetic modification or cellular expansion, it could be cheaper, quicker and safer than other cell-based immunotherapy platforms such as CAR-T cell therapies. The partnership will focus on developing cancer therapies, particularly for those cancers difficult to treat with other cell-based immunotherapy approaches—including head, neck and cervical cancers and other solid tumors.