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news.Gilead Sciences has entered into an exclusive option and license agreement with German biotechnology company Tubulis to develop an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) aimed at treating solid tumours.
The partnership leverages Tubulis' platforms to create an ADC with stability and reduced off-target toxicity. Credit: National Cancer Institute on Unsplash.
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The single-asset focused partnership leverages Tubulis’ platforms, Tubutecan and Alco5, to create an ADC with stability and reduced off-target toxicity, addressing present treatment challenges.
Under the agreement terms, Tubulis is set to receive a $20m upfront payment and could earn a $30m option exercise fee if Gilead decides to proceed.
The collaboration could yield up to $415m in milestone payments for Tubulis, plus royalties on sales. Tubulis will spearhead the early-stage research and development (R&D), while Gilead will handle further development and commercialisation if it exercises its licensing option.
Gilead Sciences Research executive vice-president Flavius Martin said: “As we expand our oncology portfolio to address the greatest gaps in care, accessing novel technologies is critical to advancing our pipeline.
“With Gilead’s ongoing focus on innovating with next-generation therapies and combinations, we are excited to partner with Tubulis to explore a range of solutions that may help increase the therapeutic value of the ADC modality.”
The collaboration focuses on designing a topoisomerase I inhibitor-based ADC candidate. Tubulis will lead the discovery and development efforts, aiming to enhance the biophysical properties and stability of the ADC.
Gilead’s financial outlook includes the impact of this transaction with Tubulis.
Tubulis CEO and co-founder Dominik Schumacher said: “Gilead has established a long track record of developing drugs that provide a significant step-up in therapeutic value, making them a great collaborator for leveraging our technology platforms, in line with our vision of fundamentally changing the ADC landscape.
“Tubulis remains primarily focused on driving value through our own clinical development programmes while selectively building partnerships with leaders in the industry.”
