Biocytogen and Whitehawk Therapeutics have entered into a global collaboration to develop bispecific antibody-drug conjugates, or BsADCs, for cancer treatment.
Under the agreement, Biocytogen will provide Whitehawk with access to up to five bispecific antibodies generated through its proprietary RenLite platform. Whitehawk will evaluate the antibodies in combination with its antibody-drug conjugate linker-payload technologies and may choose to advance resulting BsADC candidates into its development pipeline.
The collaboration brings together Biocytogen’s antibody discovery capabilities and Whitehawk’s expertise in ADC technology and oncology drug development. The companies aim to identify differentiated cancer therapies that can use dual-targeting approaches to improve the precision and therapeutic potential of antibody-drug conjugates.
Traditional ADCs use an antibody to deliver a cytotoxic payload directly to cancer cells expressing a specific target. Bispecific ADCs are designed to recognize two different targets, potentially allowing for more selective tumor targeting, improved internalization or activity against tumors with variable target expression.
Biocytogen’s RenLite platform is based on a common light-chain design and supports the discovery, screening and optimization of fully human bispecific antibodies across a range of target combinations. The platform is intended to reduce the risk of light-chain mispairing, a common technical challenge in the development of bispecific antibodies, while providing a stable molecular foundation for subsequent BsADC development.
Whitehawk will assess the selected antibodies using its proprietary ADC linker-payload technologies. Linkers and payloads are critical components of ADC design because they influence how effectively a drug is delivered into tumor cells, how long it remains stable in circulation and the safety profile of the resulting therapy.
Dr. Yuelei Shen, president and chief executive officer of Biocytogen, said the agreement expands the potential use of the company’s fully human bispecific antibodies in ADC development.
He said Biocytogen expects to support multiple programs by contributing high-quality antibody molecules and integrated research capabilities to identify differentiated therapeutic candidates for patients with cancer.
Dave Lennon, chief executive officer of Whitehawk Therapeutics, said bispecific antibodies could broaden the company’s targeting strategies and support its goal of advancing new ADC investigational new drug applications over the next 12 to 24 months.
Financial terms include an upfront payment to Biocytogen, along with potential development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments. Biocytogen will also be eligible to receive low single-digit royalties on net sales of any products developed under the collaboration.
If Whitehawk exercises its option to advance a resulting BsADC candidate, the company will receive global rights and full control of the program. The agreement adds to growing industry interest in bispecific ADCs, a developing therapeutic modality that seeks to combine the targeting flexibility of bispecific antibodies with the tumor-killing capabilities of ADC payloads.