Genmab expands collaboration with Seattle Genetics

19-Apr-2011

Forms second antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) research agreement

Danish biotechnology firm Genmab has entered into a second antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) research collaboration with Seattle Genetics in the US.

Under the new agreement, Genmab has acquired the rights to use Seattle Genetics’ ADC technology with HuMax-CD74, an antibody in pre-clinical development to target CD74, which is expressed on a range of haematological malignancies and solid tumours.

Seattle Genetics will receive an upfront payment and also has co-development and co-commercialisation options for any resulting ADC products at the end of Phase I clinical development.

Genmab is responsible for research, manufacturing, pre-clinical development and Phase I clinical evaluation of ADCs under this new collaboration.

‘The expanded collaboration with Genmab provides us with another opportunity to augment our future ADC product pipeline based on data from a phase I clinical trial,’ said Eric Dobmeier, chief business officer of Seattle Genetics.

‘We now have co-development options for four of our collaborators’ ADC programmes, reflecting our ability to maximise the potential of our technology through strategic collaborations with organisations that have complementary capabilities.’

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