Boston– Biocytogen and Whitehawk Therapeutics Inc. announced a global collaboration to develop bispecific antibody-drug conjugates.
Under the agreement, Biocytogen will provide access to up to five bispecific antibodies using its proprietary RenLite platform. Whitehawk will evaluate the antibodies in combination with its ADC linker-payload platform technologies and will have the option to advance any resulting bispecific antibody-drug conjugate candidates as part of its pipeline.
RenLite is based on a common light-chain design and is intended to support the discovery, screening and optimization of fully human bispecific antibodies across a range of target combinations. The companies said the platform reduces the risk of light-chain mispairing and provides a molecular foundation for subsequent bispecific antibody-drug conjugate development.
The collaboration brings together Biocytogen’s antibody discovery capabilities and Whitehawk’s ADC technology platform, with the goal of identifying candidates with differentiated targeting profiles and therapeutic potential.
“Whitehawk has established strong expertise in ADC technology and oncology drug development,” said Dr. Yuelei Shen, President and CEO of Biocytogen. “This collaboration further expands the application of Biocytogen’s fully human bispecific antibodies in ADC development. We look forward to supporting the efficient advancement of multiple programs by contributing high-quality antibody molecules and integrated research capabilities to identify differentiated therapeutic candidates and ultimately bringing new treatment options to patients with cancer.”
“Bispecific antibodies are a promising approach to broadening our targeting strategies, and Biocytogen’s established platform provides a robust framework for exploring this modality in combination with our ADC platform,” said Dave Lennon, PhD, Chief Executive Officer of Whitehawk Therapeutics. “We are excited about the potential of this collaboration to expand our pipeline opportunities and support our ambition to deliver new ADC INDs in the next 12-24 months.”
Biocytogen will receive an upfront payment and is eligible for development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments, as well as low single-digit royalties on net sales. Additional financial terms were not disclosed.
If Whitehawk exercises its option to advance any resulting bispecific antibody-drug conjugate candidates, the company will hold global rights and full program control of the programs.
