MedImmune taps Israeli bi-specific antibody programme
Bi and multi-specific antibodies are genetically engineered to bind to different target proteins, which can enable multiple mechanisms of action for treatment within a single molecule.
According to the deal, MedImmune – AstraZeneca’s biologics R&D arm – will be responsible for research, development and commercial activities for any products created.
Compugen will receive $10m upfront from MedImmune as well as development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments for the first product.
“We are eligible for $200m in milestones [for the first product developed under the license] and then of course royalties on product sales,” Compugen CSO Kirk Christoffersen told investors on Monday.
“Past that, this deal has always been envisioned to have multiple products, and each one of those products will have its own milestone and royalty scheme,” he said, adding that he was unable to disclose milestone triggers for future product payments.
Compugen CEO Anat Cohen-Dayag could not disclose the target of the license agreement, nor when MedImmune would come forth with further information regarding indications.
“We have licensed to them [MedImmune] all rights and uses, they have the rights to develop in any therapeutic that their interested in,” Christoffersen echoed.
Last month, we reported that Compugen had signed an agreement with Selexis’ to use its SUREtechnology mammalian cell line-based protein expression platform to help develop immune-oncology products.
