Earendil Labs has agreed to collaborate with Genentech on multiple bispecific antibody programs for cancer, in a deal that includes a $55 million upfront payment and could be worth more than $1.5 billion if specified milestones are met.
Earendil will lead antibody discovery and research for programs targeting combinations agreed by the companies, continuing through early clinical development. Genentech, a Roche Group company, will take responsibility for subsequent global clinical development and commercialization of programs arising from the collaboration.
The potential deal value includes the upfront payment and development, regulatory and sales milestones. Earendil is also eligible for tiered royalties on net product sales. The companies did not disclose the number of antibody programs, their targets, the allocation of potential milestone payments or the royalty rates.
The transaction remains subject to customary closing conditions.
Bispecific antibodies are designed to bind two different targets. In oncology, that approach can be used to address more than one biological pathway within a single medicine. The companies said their research will focus on antibody programs for pre-agreed target combinations but did not identify specific cancers.
Earendil uses computational protein modeling, generative protein design and experimental testing in its biologics research. Its work under the agreement will cover discovery and research through the early clinical stage, before responsibility shifts to Genentech for later development and potential commercialization.
Earendil Chief Executive Jian Peng said the collaboration will combine the company’s research platform with Genentech’s oncology development experience. Earendil President and co-Chief Executive Zhenping Zhu said the planned work addresses challenges associated with resistance and relapse in cancer treatment.
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