MediLink Therapeutics and Roche Establish Worldwide Partnership and License Agreement for the Development of Advanced Oncology Antibody Drug Conjugate
Wednesday, January 03, 2024
MediLink Therapeutics, also known as MediLink, has recently disclosed a global collaboration and licensing agreement with Roche (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY) for the development of a new antibody-drug conjugate candidate named YL211. This candidate is crafted to target c-Mesenchymal epithelial transition factor (c-Met) with a specific focus on addressing solid tumors.
Per the stipulations of the agreement, Roche will be provided with exclusive worldwide rights for the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of YL211 by MediLink. The collaboration will entail joint efforts between MediLink and Roche's Research and Development unit, China Innovation Center of Roche (CICoR), to initiate the Phase I clinical trial for YL211. Following this, Roche will assume responsibility for further global development and commercialization. MediLink is set to receive upfront and near-term milestone payments totaling $50 million. Additionally, potential payments associated with development, regulatory milestones, and commercial achievements could accrue, reaching a comprehensive deal value approaching $1 billion. MediLink is also entitled to tiered royalties based on future global annual net sales.
YL211 is an advanced antibody-drug conjugate designed to specifically target c-Mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-Met), a member of the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family. This protein is closely linked to tumor initiation, aggressive growth, and metastasis, making it a crucial target for treating epithelial-mesenchymal transition. While therapies targeting c-Met, including antibody-drug conjugates, have demonstrated effectiveness in treating solid tumors, there remains a substantial unmet medical need for improved treatment options globally. YL211, currently in the Investigational New Drug (IND) stage, leverages MediLink's latest TMALIN® ADC platform technology and features a highly specific c-Met antibody. In preclinical tumor models and safety evaluation experiments, YL211 has shown promising efficacy and safety.
Source: prnasia.com
