Innovent Biologics and Synaffix, a Lonza company, are expanding their licensing agreement in light of positive data from the ongoing phase 1 study of their initial collaborative antibody-drug conjugate (ADC).
The expanded deal extends a collaboration from 2021 that granted Innovent rights to deploy Synaffix's ADC technologies on a target-specific, non-exclusive basis, including GlycoConnect, HydraSpace and one of its toxSYN linker-payloads, for a therapeutic molecule.
Now, the expansion will give Innovent access to additional targets and further proprietary Synaffix linker-payloads for the development of additional innovative ADCs. Under the expanded terms, Innovent will lead the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of new ADC candidates.
Synaffix was acquired by Swiss CDMO Lonza back in June, in a deal that involved $107 million in cash upfront and up to $64 million in milestones for all shares, including its advanced payload and site-specific linker technologies.
Established in 2010, Synaffix, operating primarily under a technology out-licensing model, provided its clinical-stage platform capabilities. The platform, was honored as the Best ADC Platform Technology at the 2020 World ADC Awards.
