Biocytogen Licenses VHH Antibody to Qilu for Neuroscience Research
Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals has entered into a non-exclusive licensing agreement with Qilu Pharmaceutical to support the research and development of a fully human VHH antibody for neuroscience applications.
Under the agreement, Biocytogen will grant Qilu Pharmaceutical non-exclusive rights to the fully human VHH antibody molecule. Financial terms were not fully disclosed, but Biocytogen will receive an upfront payment and could receive additional milestone payments linked to development, regulatory, and commercial achievements.
The licensed antibody was generated using Biocytogen’s proprietary RenNano® platform, which is designed to discover fully human VHH antibody molecules with strong specificity, binding affinity, and drug development potential.
VHH antibodies are small antibody fragments that can offer useful properties for developing medicines, particularly in areas where traditional antibodies may face challenges. Biocytogen’s RenNano® platform can also provide building blocks for developing VHH antibodies, bispecific and multispecific antibodies, antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), and other therapeutic formats.
Qilu Pharmaceutical will have the flexibility to determine how the licensed VHH antibody is developed based on its research strategy, project requirements, and potential therapeutic applications.
The partnership adds to Qilu Pharmaceutical’s efforts to expand its innovative drug pipeline. The Chinese pharmaceutical company has research and development capabilities across chemical drugs, biologics, and innovative therapies, with operations covering early discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercialization.
Yuelei Shen, President and CEO of Biocytogen, said the collaboration could help explore new opportunities for VHH antibodies in neuroscience, an area known for significant scientific and drug development challenges.
Shen highlighted the need to consider target biology, molecular properties, and development strategies when developing treatments for complex neurological diseases. He also pointed to Qilu Pharmaceutical’s drug development and manufacturing capabilities as an important part of the collaboration.
The companies did not disclose the specific neuroscience target or planned therapeutic indication for the licensed antibody.
The agreement further expands Biocytogen’s efforts to license its fully human VHH antibody assets across different therapeutic areas. For Qilu Pharmaceutical, the deal provides access to a new antibody molecule that could support the company’s future neuroscience drug development programs.
The collaboration will now allow Qilu Pharmaceutical to advance research on the VHH antibody according to its own development plans, with the final therapeutic format to be determined based on the project’s scientific and clinical needs.