Foster City, Calif., [March 6, 2024] – Gilead Sciences, Inc. (Nasdaq:GILD) and Merus N.V. (Nasdaq:MRUS) today announced a landmark research collaboration, option, and license agreement aimed at discovering novel dual tumor-associated antigens (TAA) targeting trispecific antibodies. The partnership, valued at over $1.5 billion, marks a significant advancement in oncological research and underscores both companies’ commitment to innovation in cancer therapeutics.

Under the terms of the agreement, Merus, a clinical-stage oncology company renowned for its innovative antibody platforms, will lead early-stage research activities for two programs, with an option to pursue a third. Gilead will have the exclusive right to license programs developed under the collaboration upon the completion of select research activities. Should Gilead exercise its option, it will assume responsibility for additional research, development, and commercialization activities for the program.

“We have seen the successful application of bispecific antibodies as an immune-modulating modality used to treat cancer. We are now looking ahead to the development of additional multispecific antibodies capable of driving robust anti-tumor immune responses with an improved efficacy and safety profile,” said Flavius Martin, M.D., Executive Vice President, Research, Gilead Sciences.

Merus’ proprietary Triclonics® platform, known for its capability to design antibodies capable of simultaneously binding to three targets at once, will be leveraged in this collaboration to advance transformative new cancer therapies. “We are looking forward to working with Gilead to develop novel T-cell engager antibodies using our Triclonics® technology,” said Hui Liu, Ph.D., Executive Vice President, Chief Business Officer & Head of Merus US.

Under the agreement, Merus will receive an upfront cash payment of $56 million for initial targets, along with an equity investment by Gilead of $25 million in Merus common shares. Additionally, Merus stands to earn up to $1.5 billion, including additional near-term and option payments, potential development and commercialization milestones, as well as tiered royalties on product sales.

This partnership represents a significant step forward in the advancement of cancer therapeutics, combining Gilead’s expertise in oncology with Merus’ innovative antibody platforms to address significant unmet medical needs.

Source:
https://ir.merus.nl/news-releases/news-release-details/gilead-and-merus-announce-collaboration-discover-novel-antibody
https://www.fiercebiotech.com/biotech/gilead-tries-new-triple-target-t-cell-engagers-15b-plus-merus-collab?utm_medium=email&utm_source=nl&utm_campaign=LS-NL-FierceBiotech&oly_enc_id=4567B8987523J5I
GMP mRNA
Check out our AAV CDMO service to expedite your gene therapy research
About PackGene

PackGene Biotech is a world-leading CRO and CDMO, excelling in AAV vectors, mRNA, plasmid DNA, and lentiviral vector solutions. Our comprehensive offerings span from vector design and construction to AAV, lentivirus, and mRNA services. With a sharp focus on early-stage drug discovery, preclinical development, and cell and gene therapy trials, we deliver cost-effective, dependable, and scalable production solutions. Leveraging our groundbreaking π-alpha 293 AAV high-yield platform, we amplify AAV production by up to 10-fold, yielding up to 1e+17vg per batch to meet diverse commercial and clinical project needs. Moreover, our tailored mRNA and LNP products and services cater to every stage of drug and vaccine development, from research to GMP production, providing a seamless, end-to-end solution.

Related News

Related Services

Plasmids GMP Services

Multiple scales & grade of solutions of various kind of plasmids suitable for multiple treatments in a fast and cost effective way.
READ MORE

AAV GMP Services

Ranging from small-scale AAV production, to large-scale AAV cGMP manufacturing for animal studies.
READ MORE
aav icon

Technology Platforms

PackGene’s proprietary π-Alpha™ 293 AAV High-yield Platform increases AAV production by 3 to 8 times that of traditional platforms.
READ MORE