Genmab gets access to ADC technologies from Synaffix for one target

PARTNERING

Sutro Biopharma announced an exclusive license agreement with Tasly Biopharmaceuticals for the development and commercialization of STRO-002 in Greater China, consisting of mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. STRO-002 is a FolRα-targeting ADC, currently in clinical studies for patients with ovarian and endometrial cancers in the U.S. and Europe. Sutro will receive an upfront payment of $40 million and be eligible to receive potentially up to $345 million in development and commercial milestone payments. Tasly will pursue the clinical development, regulatory approval, and commercialization of STRO-002 in Greater China for ovarian and endometrial cancers, with the potential to expand to further oncological indications including NSCLC and TNBC. Sutro retains development and commercial rights of STRO-002 outside of Greater China. Sutro will be responsible for the clinical trial and initial commercial supply of STRO-002 for trials in the licensed territory pursuant to a supply agreement according to customary terms. Upon commercialization, Sutro will receive tiered, double-digit royalties based on annual net sales of STRO-002 in Greater China.

ADCT announced license with Mitsubishi Tanabe to develop and commercialize Zynlonta in Japan

ADC Therapeutics entered an exclusive license agreement with Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma for the development and commercialization of Zynlonta (loncastuximab tesirine-lpyl) for all hematologic and solid tumor indications in Japan. ADC Therapeutics will receive an upfront payment of $30 million and up to an additional $205 million in milestones if certain development and commercial events are achieved. ADC Therapeutics will also receive royalties ranging in percentage from the high teens to the low twenties based on net sales of the product in Japan. MTPC will conduct clinical studies of Zynlonta in Japan and will have the right to participate in any global clinical studies of the product by bearing a portion of the costs of the study.

Century and BMS enter into a collaboration to develop iPSC-derived allogeneic cell therapies

Century and BMS agreed to develop up to four induced pluripotent stem cell-derived natural killer (iPSC-NK) and/or T-cell therapies for treating hematologic malignancies and solid tumors. The first two programs are for treating acute myeloid leukemia and treating multiple myeloma. Both could use the NK or the gamma delta T-cell platforms. BMS has the option of adding the second two programs. Century will handle candidate discovery and preclinical development, then BMS takes over development and commercialization. Century is set to receive $100 million up front and take in a $50 million equity investment in stock priced at $23.14 each. Century will be reimbursed for some preclinical development costs for candidates that BMS may end up licensing. The big money, possibly more than $3 billion across four potential programs, could come from Century’s eligibility for payments from program initiations, development and regulatory and commercial milestone payments. Also in the deal, Century will receive tiered royalties as a percentage of global net sales in the high-single to low-double digits. Century has the option to co-promote the AML program and another program in US for no exercise fees, which could ratchet up the amount it could earn in US royalties.

Genmab and Synaffix enter into license agreement for ADC technology

Synaffix announced that Genmab and Synaffix have signed a license agreement providing Genmab broad access to Synaffix’s ADC technologies. Genmab is granted exclusive research rights to utilize Synaffix ADC technologies for one drug target with the option for the worldwide development and commercialization of the resulting ADCs. Genmab has the option to exercise exclusive research and commercial licenses for additional targets. For each specific target nominated under the license agreement, Genmab gains exclusive access to Synaffix’s clinical-stage GlycoConnect antibody conjugation technology, HydraSpace polar spacer technology, as well as select toxSYN linker-payloads, each designed to enable ADCs with best-in-class efficacy and tolerability for the development of multiple potential therapies. Genmab will be responsible for the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of any resulting ADC therapies. At the same time, Synaffix will support Genmab’s research activities, including manufacturing of components that are specifically related to its proprietary ADC technologies.