Jazz Pharmaceuticals announced Wednesday that it has entered into a research collaboration and licensing agreement with AbCellera, a Canadian biotechnology company, to develop T-cell engaging multispecific antibodies aimed at treating cancer.
Under the terms of the agreement, AbCellera will receive $56 million upfront to cover two initial research programs set to launch within the next 12 months. An additional $28 million will be paid when a third program gets underway. Beyond those initial payments, AbCellera stands to collect up to $792 million per program in option fees and milestone payments, depending on how Jazz chooses to advance the resulting drug candidates. The company would also earn tiered royalties on any future product sales.
The collaboration will center on developing therapies for gastrointestinal cancers and other solid tumors. Jazz described the effort as consistent with its broader strategy to grow its oncology business while continuing to support its rare disease operations.
AbCellera will take the lead on early-stage discovery work, drawing on its proprietary antibody development platform. If Jazz exercises its options, it would gain exclusive worldwide rights to develop and bring any resulting treatments to market.
The two companies may also choose to broaden the partnership to include as many as two additional research programs. AbCellera could also play a role in later stages of development, potentially assisting with studies required to file investigational new drug applications and with manufacturing clinical supply.
T-cell engaging antibodies work by directing the body’s own immune cells — specifically T-cells — to identify and attack cancer cells. This approach has gained growing attention in the medical research community as a potential strategy for tackling tumors that are difficult to treat with conventional therapies.
