Transgene and NEC Bio B.V., a subsidiary of NEC Corporation, have entered into a licensing agreement to advance the clinical development of TG4050, an individualised therapeutic vaccine for patients with resected HPV-negative head and neck cancer.

The agreement enables Transgene to access NEC’s artificial intelligence-based neoantigen prediction platform, which plays a critical role in identifying tumour-specific mutations used to design personalised immunotherapies. TG4050, currently under clinical evaluation, aims to prevent cancer relapse and improve disease-free survival following surgery and adjuvant therapy.

TG4050 is built on a viral vector platform and is designed to stimulate a patient’s immune system by targeting neoantigens unique to their tumour. These neoantigens are identified using NEC’s proprietary AI and machine learning system, which predicts the most immunogenic mutations capable of triggering a strong immune response.

Under the terms of the agreement, Transgene will gain rights to further develop and potentially commercialize TG4050, while NEC retains ownership and operational control of its AI platform and will continue to support clinical development activities. NEC will receive a Euro 2.5 million technology access fee in Transgene shares, along with an additional Euro 2.5 million in cash to be paid in tranches through early 2028. The deal also includes milestone-based payments and a share in future profits or licensing revenues.

“This agreement puts us in a strong position to advance TG4050, supported by data from our ongoing Phase 2 trial,” said Alessandro Riva, chairman and CEO of Transgene. He added that the collaboration strengthens efforts to improve outcomes for patients at risk of relapse in head and neck cancer.

Akira Kitamura, CEO of NEC Bio, described the agreement as a milestone in the companies’ partnership, highlighting the role of AI in transforming biopharmaceutical innovation and supporting the potential of TG4050 as a promising approach to reducing relapse risk.

As part of the transaction, Transgene will issue over 3.3 million new shares to NEC, representing approximately 1.22 percent  of its share capital post-issuance. The shares will be listed on Euronext Paris and are expected to be issued by the end of April 2026.

TG4050 is based on Transgene’s myvac platform, which enables the development of personalized immunotherapies tailored to each patient. By integrating NEC’s AI-driven neoantigen prediction capabilities, the therapy represents a step forward in precision medicine, combining advanced biotechnology with data-driven insights.

The collaboration underscores the growing role of artificial intelligence in oncology drug development, particularly in designing individualized therapies aimed at improving patient outcomes in complex cancers.