AbbVie Secures $5.6 Billion Licensing Deal for Novel PD-1/VEGF Bispecific Antibody RC148
Key Insights
AbbVie (search) and RemeGen announced an exclusive licensing agreement for RC148, a novel PD-1 (search)/VEGF (search) bispecific antibody being evaluated across multiple advanced solid tumors including lung cancers.
The deal includes a $650 million upfront payment and up to $4.95 billion in milestone payments, representing one of the largest bispecific antibody licensing agreements in recent years.
RC148 has demonstrated initial favorable antitumor activity in early clinical studies when combined with antibody-drug conjugates, potentially offering new treatment options for patients with high unmet medical needs.
AbbVie (search) and RemeGen announced an exclusive licensing agreement for the development, manufacturing and commercialization of RC148, a novel investigational Programmed Cell Death-1 (PD-1 (search))/Vascular Endothelial Growth Factor (VEGF (search))-targeted bispecific antibody. The deal, valued at up to $5.6 billion, represents a significant investment in next-generation cancer immunotherapy.
RC148 is currently being developed by RemeGen as a monotherapy and in combination regimens across multiple advanced solid tumors. The bispecific antibody is being evaluated in multiple advanced solid tumors including certain lung cancers.
Novel Mechanism of Action
PD-1 (search)/VEGF (search)-targeted bispecific antibodies represent a new class of cancer therapies that aim to help the immune system fight tumors more effectively and potentially overcome tumor resistance mechanisms by blocking both PD-1 and VEGF simultaneously. This dual targeting approach addresses two critical pathways in cancer progression: immune checkpoint inhibition and angiogenesis.
The therapeutic potential extends beyond monotherapy applications. Given their potential to modulate both immune suppression and foster a favorable tumor microenvironment for antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) activity, PD-1 (search)/VEGF (search) bispecific antibodies are also being explored in combination with ADCs. In early clinical studies, RC148 has shown initial favorable antitumor activity in combination with an ADC.
Strategic Portfolio Enhancement
RC148 further strengthens AbbVie (search)'s diverse oncology portfolio. The acquisition may offer new opportunities to explore combination regimens with AbbVie's ADCs such as investigational telisotuzumab adizutecan (Temab-A), across multiple solid tumors with high unmet need including non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and colorectal cancer (CRC).
"Our partnership with RemeGen reflects AbbVie (search)'s commitment to not only advance novel oncology treatments, but also to build strong collaborations with biopharmaceutical innovators globally as an increasingly important source of scientific and clinical progress," said Daejin Abidoye, M.D., vice president, therapeutic area head, oncology, solid tumor and hematology at AbbVie. "By combining the immune checkpoint inhibition and anti-angiogenic activity of RC148 together with the targeted cytotoxic activity of ADCs, we have the potential to identify meaningful options for patients across a range of solid tumors."
Financial Terms and Global Rights
Under the terms of the agreement, AbbVie (search) will receive exclusive rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize RC148 outside of the Greater China territory. RemeGen will receive an upfront payment of USD $650 million and is eligible to receive up to USD $4.95 billion in aggregate development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, along with tiered, double-digit royalties on net sales outside the Greater China territory.
"This collaboration is a significant milestone for RemeGen, highlighting the innovative potential of RC148 in addressing critical unmet medical needs in cancer treatment," said Dr. Jianmin Fang, chief executive officer of RemeGen. "The deal further underscores RemeGen's commitment to bringing cutting-edge therapies to patients worldwide. Working with AbbVie (search), we look forward to maximizing RC148's clinical and commercial potential in China and globally."
Company Capabilities
RemeGen has built a highly differentiated pipeline across autoimmune, oncology and ophthalmology, with a proven ability to rapidly translate innovative science into clinically and commercially meaningful medicines. The company's two flagship products, telitacicept and disitamab vedotin, have received approvals for a total of six indications in China, underscoring RemeGen's strong capabilities in first-/best-in-class biologics discovery, efficient clinical execution and successful commercialization.
AbbVie (search) is currently evaluating more than 35 investigational medicines in multiple clinical trials across some of the world's most widespread and debilitating cancers, focusing on creating targeted medicines that either impede the reproduction of cancer cells or enable their elimination through various treatment modalities including small molecule therapeutics, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), immuno-oncology-based therapeutics, multispecific antibody and novel CAR-T platforms.