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news.US-based biopharmaceutical firm MacroGenics and Japan-based Takeda Pharmaceutical have entered into an option agreement to develop and commercialize MGD010.
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MGD010 incorporates MacroGenics’ proprietary platform for Dual-Affinity Re-Targeting (DART) to simultaneously engage CD32B and CD79B, which are two B-cell surface proteins.
Currently, MGD010 is in pre-clinical development for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Takeda general manager of the Pharmaceutical Research Division Tetsuyuki Maruyama said the company is happy to be collaborating with MacroGenics, given its expertise in exploring ways to harness the power of the immune system to treat complex, difficult diseases, including autoimmune disorders.
"We believe bi-specific antibodies are an important new frontier in medicine that may unlock additional therapeutic options for patients in the future," Maruyama said.
As part of the deal, MacroGenics will receive an upfront payment of $15m and Takeda receives an option to secure an exclusive worldwide license for MGD010 after completion of a pre-defined Phase Ia trial.
The deal will see MacroGenics lead all product development activities until that time.
If Takeda exercises its option, it will assume responsibility for future development and pay MacroGenics an option exercise fee which, when combined with the upfront payment and an early development milestone, will total about $33m.
Assuming successful development and commercialization of MGD010, MacroGenics could receive about an additional $468.5m in clinical, regulatory and commercialization milestone payments.
MacroGenics president and CEO Scott Koenig said the company is happy to enter into this collaboration with Takeda.
"This partnership represents our fifth DART collaboration and MGD010 represents the first autoimmune DART program planned for clinical development," Koenig said.
"As a leading global pharmaceutical company, Takeda brings extraordinary expertise in the autoimmune area with significant capabilities in developing and delivering novel medicines to patients.
"This collaboration will enable us to further broaden and accelerate our pipeline of innovative DART-based product candidates."