NEW HAVEN, CT, USA and UTRECHT, The Netherlands and CAMBRIDGE, MA, US AI January 12, 2025 I Biohaven Ltd. (NYSE: BHVN) and Merus N.V. (Nasdaq:MRUS), today announced a research collaboration and license agreement to co-develop three novel bispecific antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), leveraging Merus’ leading Biclonics® technology platform, and Biohaven’s next-generation ADC conjugation and payload platform technologies.
Under the terms of the agreement, Biohaven is responsible for the preclinical ADC generation of three Merus bispecific antibodies under mutually agreed research plans. The agreement includes two Merus bispecific programs generated using the Biclonics® platform, and one program under preclinical research by Merus. Each program is subject to mutual agreement for advancement to further development, with the parties then sharing subsequent external development costs and commercialization, if advanced.
”We’re excited to collaborate with Biohaven, leveraging their broad range of linker/payload and conjugation technologies, and expertise with the research and development of ADCs, to rapidly advance bispecific antibody candidate ADCs based on the Merus Biclonics® platform,” said Peter B. Silverman, Chief Operating Officer of Merus. “We believe that the combination of our Biclonics® technology, validated by the recent FDA approval of Bizengri® and continued clinical success with petosemtamab, together with the Biohaven suite of ADC technologies, has the potential to generate new and differentiated bispecific therapies with greater potency and selectivity over currently available monoclonal ADC approaches.”
“We believe this collaboration with Merus will accelerate our ability to create highly differentiated multispecific ADCs, leveraging Biohaven’s innovative conjugation and payload technologies to deliver optimized ADCs with the potential to significantly benefit patients across various cancer types through an enhanced efficacy and safety profile,” added Brian Lestini, President, Oncology of Biohaven.
Pursuant to the transaction, Merus will receive an upfront payment and license fee at ADC candidate nomination of the first program, with Merus to assume the preclinical bispecific antibody generation cost, and Biohaven to assume the preclinical ADC generation cost. Thereafter, upon mutual agreement to advance each program, the parties plan to share further development and commercialization costs.
About Merus
Merus is a clinical-stage oncology company developing innovative full-length human bispecific and trispecific antibody therapeutics, referred to as Multiclonics®. Multiclonics® are manufactured using industry standard processes and have been observed in preclinical and clinical studies to have several of the same features of conventional human monoclonal antibodies, such as long half-life and low immunogenicity. For additional information, please visit Merus’ website and LinkedIn.
About Biohaven
Biohaven is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of life-changing treatments in key therapeutic areas, including immunology, neuroscience, and oncology. Biohaven is advancing its innovative portfolio of therapeutics, leveraging its proven drug development experience and multiple proprietary drug development platforms. Biohaven’s extensive clinical and nonclinical programs include Kv7 ion channel modulation for epilepsy and mood disorders; extracellular protein degradation for immunological diseases; TRPM3 antagonism for migraine and neuropathic pain; TYK2/JAK1 inhibition for neuroinflammatory disorders; glutamate modulation for OCD and SCA (spinocerebellar ataxia); myostatin inhibition for neuromuscular and metabolic diseases, including SMA and obesity; antibody recruiting bispecific molecules and antibody drug conjugates for cancer. For more information, visit www.biohaven.com.
SOURCE: Merus
Post Views: 125
NEW HAVEN, CT, USA and UTRECHT, The Netherlands and CAMBRIDGE, MA, US AI January 12, 2025 I Biohaven Ltd. (NYSE: BHVN) and Merus N.V. (Nasdaq:MRUS), today announced a research collaboration and license agreement to co-develop three novel bispecific antibody drug conjugates (ADCs), leveraging Merus’ leading Biclonics® technology platform, and Biohaven’s next-generation ADC conjugation and payload platform technologies.
Under the terms of the agreement, Biohaven is responsible for the preclinical ADC generation of three Merus bispecific antibodies under mutually agreed research plans. The agreement includes two Merus bispecific programs generated using the Biclonics® platform, and one program under preclinical research by Merus. Each program is subject to mutual agreement for advancement to further development, with the parties then sharing subsequent external development costs and commercialization, if advanced.
”We’re excited to collaborate with Biohaven, leveraging their broad range of linker/payload and conjugation technologies, and expertise with the research and development of ADCs, to rapidly advance bispecific antibody candidate ADCs based on the Merus Biclonics® platform,” said Peter B. Silverman, Chief Operating Officer of Merus. “We believe that the combination of our Biclonics® technology, validated by the recent FDA approval of Bizengri® and continued clinical success with petosemtamab, together with the Biohaven suite of ADC technologies, has the potential to generate new and differentiated bispecific therapies with greater potency and selectivity over currently available monoclonal ADC approaches.”
“We believe this collaboration with Merus will accelerate our ability to create highly differentiated multispecific ADCs, leveraging Biohaven’s innovative conjugation and payload technologies to deliver optimized ADCs with the potential to significantly benefit patients across various cancer types through an enhanced efficacy and safety profile,” added Brian Lestini, President, Oncology of Biohaven.
Pursuant to the transaction, Merus will receive an upfront payment and license fee at ADC candidate nomination of the first program, with Merus to assume the preclinical bispecific antibody generation cost, and Biohaven to assume the preclinical ADC generation cost. Thereafter, upon mutual agreement to advance each program, the parties plan to share further development and commercialization costs.
About Merus
Merus is a clinical-stage oncology company developing innovative full-length human bispecific and trispecific antibody therapeutics, referred to as Multiclonics®. Multiclonics® are manufactured using industry standard processes and have been observed in preclinical and clinical studies to have several of the same features of conventional human monoclonal antibodies, such as long half-life and low immunogenicity. For additional information, please visit Merus’ website and LinkedIn.
About Biohaven
Biohaven is a biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of life-changing treatments in key therapeutic areas, including immunology, neuroscience, and oncology. Biohaven is advancing its innovative portfolio of therapeutics, leveraging its proven drug development experience and multiple proprietary drug development platforms. Biohaven’s extensive clinical and nonclinical programs include Kv7 ion channel modulation for epilepsy and mood disorders; extracellular protein degradation for immunological diseases; TRPM3 antagonism for migraine and neuropathic pain; TYK2/JAK1 inhibition for neuroinflammatory disorders; glutamate modulation for OCD and SCA (spinocerebellar ataxia); myostatin inhibition for neuromuscular and metabolic diseases, including SMA and obesity; antibody recruiting bispecific molecules and antibody drug conjugates for cancer. For more information, visit www.biohaven.com.
SOURCE: Merus
Post Views: 125
