Under the agreement, Takeda has received exclusive worldwide rights to develop, manufacture and market the HuL2G7 antibody. Takeda will pay Galaxy an upfront licensing fee of $2 million, milestone payments on the achievement of certain preclinical, clinical and regulatory milestones, and royalties on product sales.
Takeda will also fund further research activities at Galaxy on the humanized anti-HGF antibody and successor agents for a period of four years.
HuL2G7 is a recombinant, humanized antibody that blocks the activity of human HGF, a growth factor believed to mediate proliferation, metastasis, anti-apoptosis and neo-angiogenesis of many types of tumors.
In a recent study published in the journal Clinical Cancer Research, Galaxy investigators and collaborators at the Kennedy Krieger Institute in Baltimore, Maryland, showed that in animal models, treatment with HuL2G7 induced substantial tumor regression and greatly prolonged survival.
“We believe [Takeda’s] strong commitment and capabilities in research, development and marketing, including a major presence in the US, will enable rapid development of the humanized anti-HGF antibody, which has the potential to be an important new treatment for major types of cancer,” said Dr Cary Queen, president of Galaxy.