At Watson Farley & Williams, our pro bono programme offers colleagues the opportunity to utilise their professional skills to support a wide range of individuals and charitable organisations, addressing key social issues and adding value to our sectors and communities.
Recently, Milan Partner Carlo Cosmelli provided key pro bono legal advice to the shareholders of EIR Biotherapies, an Italian biotech start-up focussed on researching and developing cellular and gene therapies for clinical use.
One of EIR Biotherapies’ key aims is to fill therapeutic gaps for still incurable cancers – notably pancreatic cancer, one of the most aggressive and notoriously difficult cancers to treat – by manufacturing smart treatments involving various next-generation platforms including autologous and allogeneic cell therapies, gene-modified immune cells and advanced delivery systems for genetic material.
Gene-therapy for cancer involves different strategies depending on various factors such as the type and stage of a cancer. In basic terms, gene-therapy can involve the replacement, modification, augmentation or blockade of genes to best combat cancerous cells. In the case of pancreatic cancer, surgery remains the best line of treatment, yet risks remain high and the number of patients able to undergo surgery is very low. Moreover, pancreatic cancer is highly resistant to traditional treatments such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and targeted therapy, making treatment extremely challenging. Gene-therapy can be used to transfer genes into tumour cells to encourage an immune response, something which is expected to have great potential treating pancreatic cancer.
Carlo supported EIR Biotherapies lay the legal foundations for a partnership that could transform the treatment of pancreatic tumours. This partnership brings together the expertise of Professor Massimo Dominici, an internationally recognised haematologist and oncologist and CEO of EIR Biotherapies, with the strategic support of Evotec SE, a global biotechnology company committed to advancing drug discovery and development.
Drawing upon his long-standing expertise of advising corporate and commercial matters across the healthcare industry, Carlo provided continuous legal support to EIR Biotherapies, including the preparation and review of contractual documents relating to clinical studies and partnerships with suppliers to develop the new therapies and secure intellectual property rights. He also advised on the investment structures and equity contribution mechanics.
Thanks to Carlo’s expert support, EIR Biotherapies is now in the clinical trial phase of one of its treatments involving the genetically modified cell RR001. This involves a gene-therapy that takes healthy autologous cells from the patient’s adipose tissue and genetically modifying them to produce a protein that destroys cancerous cells. This protein is then readministered back into the patient, relocated to the tumour site enabling the protein to trigger apoptosis (destruction) of the cancerous cells. Critically, by shrinking tumours the number of patients eligible for surgery will increase, as well as make the cancer more vulnerable to chemotherapy.
Carlo commented: “It was a privilege to contribute to the development of a project with such profound scientific and – hopefully – human impact. This wasn’t just about legal advice, it was about being part of a great team of people whose mission is helping enable innovation that could save lives”.
