BriaCell and BriaPro Finalize Key Biotechnology Transaction
On March 31, 2026, BriaCell Therapeutics Corp., a clinical-stage biotechnology company, and its majority-owned subsidiary BriaPro Therapeutics Corp. announced the completion of an asset purchase transaction for BriaPro to acquire BriaCell’s exclusive license to develop and commercialize Soluble CD80 for cancer treatment, according to GlobeNewswire PE. The transaction was executed under a definitive purchase agreement dated February 4, 2026, with BriaPro issuing 23,972,589 Common Shares to BriaCell at an aggregate value of approximately C$1.18 million, increasing BriaCell’s interest in BriaPro to approximately 78%.
Background of the Soluble CD80 License
BriaCell originally secured the exclusive license for Soluble CD80 from the University of Maryland, Baltimore County on August 2, 2022. The technology, developed by Suzanne Ostrand-Rosenberg, Ph.D., an emeritus faculty member at UMBC and a member of BriaCell’s scientific advisory board, is covered under U.S. patents 8,956,619 B2, 9,650,429 B2, and 10,377,810 B2. In animal models, Soluble CD80 was well-tolerated and stopped tumor growth by potentially restoring natural anti-tumor immunity, as reported in studies by Lucas A. Horn et al. and Samuel T. Haile et al. in collaboration with Dr. Ostrand-Rosenberg.
Terms of the Transaction
Under the purchase agreement, BriaPro gained worldwide rights to develop and commercialize Soluble CD80 as a therapeutic agent for cancer treatment, while the University of Maryland, Baltimore County retains all rights, title, and interest in the inventions and patents, except for certain rights held by the United States Government, according to GlobeNewswire PE. BriaPro will pay 2% royalties to UMBC upon commercialization of the product, along with other development costs. As part of the deal, BriaCell has made available up to $3 million through a Credit Facility to fund BriaPro’s research and development efforts, with each drawdown subject to BriaCell’s approval on fund usage.
Leadership and Ownership Changes
Upon closing the transaction, BriaPro issued the Common Shares to BriaCell as consideration, which increased BriaCell’s ownership in BriaPro to approximately 78%. Additionally, Jamieson Bondarenko was appointed as the chair of BriaPro’s board, according to GlobeNewswire PE. As widely-known in the biotechnology sector, such transactions often involve subsidiary restructurings to focus on specific assets like cancer immunotherapies.
