Abzena signs licensing agreement for 'ThioBridge' technology

20th Jan 2017 10:29

(ShareCast News) - Life sciences group Abzena announced on Friday that it has signed a licensing agreement with an unnamed San Diego-based biopharmaceutical company for its site-specific 'ThioBridge' antibody drug conjugate linker technology.The AIM-traded company said 'ThioBridge' links antibodies and other proteins to drugs.It explained that the technology platform is unique in its ability to maintain the stability of the antibody and a consistent drug-to-antibody ratio, which provides a more homogeneous product. The agreement covers the use of 'ThioBridge' in up to 10 antibody drug conjugates across a wide range of indications.Abzena said it has also entered a master services agreement, which enables multiple programmes of work to be undertaken over an extended period, relating to the group's chemistry services.The value of the agreement to Abzena has the potential to reach more than $300m, the board said, comprising licence fees and milestone payments.In addition, Abzena would also receive royalties on sales of approved products that incorporate the 'ThioBridge' technology developed by its partner. "Abzena and the US biopharmaceutical company has enjoyed an ongoing collaborative research programme to evaluate 'ThioBridge' up until now," said CEO John Burt."The collaboration has allowed both parties to build a strong working relationship and to demonstrate the value of the 'ThioBridge' technology in creating novel ADCs."Dr Burt said signing the licence agreement for 'ThioBridge' was further validation of Abzena's proprietary ADC technology and expertise."We look forward to continuing to work together with our partner for the development of novel 'ThioBridge' ADCs."