Seattle Genetics in antibody-drug collaboration with MedImmune
Seattle Genetics has entered into an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) collaboration with MedImmune, who will pay an upfront fee of $2m for rights to utilise Seattle Genetics\' ADC technology with antibodies against a single tumour target that MedImmune has selected. MedImmune also has an option to pay an additional fee to access the ADC technology for a second proprietary antibody programme.
Seattle Genetics has entered into an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) collaboration with MedImmune, who will pay an upfront fee of $2m for rights to utilise Seattle Genetics' ADC technology with antibodies against a single tumour target that MedImmune has selected. MedImmune also has an option to pay an additional fee to access the ADC technology for a second proprietary antibody programme.
'As one of the world's leading biotechnology companies with expertise in antibody product development, MedImmune is an ideal partner for our ADC technology,' stated Dr Clay Siegall, president and chief executive officer of Seattle Genetics. 'We now have six collaborations with major biotechnology and pharmaceutical companies that are utilising our ADC technology to develop the next generation of empowered antibody-based therapies.'
Under the terms of the collaboration, MedImmune has agreed to make progress-dependent milestone payments and pay royalties on net sales of any resulting ADC products. MedImmune is responsible for research, product development, manufacturing and commercialisation of all products under the collaboration. Seattle Genetics will receive material supply and annual maintenance fees as well as research support payments for any assistance provided to MedImmune in developing ADC products.
Seattle Genetics' second generation ADC technology utilises the targeting ability of monoclonal antibodies to deliver potent, cell-killing payloads to specific cells. This ADC technology employs synthetic, highly potent drugs that can be attached to antibodies through proprietary linker systems. The linkers are designed to be stable in the bloodstream but to release the drug payload under specific conditions once inside target cells, potentially sparing non-target cells many of the toxic effects of traditional chemotherapy. By linking drug payloads to monoclonal antibodies, ADCs can increase the cell-killing activity of antibodies that have inherent cell targeting ability.