EvolveImmune engages AbbVie
While AbbVie has made a significant push into ADCs and bispecific antibodies, its work specifically on T-cell engagers has perhaps lagged the likes of Amgen, Johnson & Johnson and Roche. A discovery tie-up with EvolveImmune, a private biotech backed by venture capital from Pfizer, Bristol Myers Squibb and Takeda, could help remedy this, being focused on the development of T-cell engagers with "integrated co-stimulation". The approach, a key EvolveImmune technology, uses additional engagement of CD2 to amplify tumour killing, while overcoming low tumour immunogenicity and T-cell dysfunction. Though the tie-up is early-stage, a generous-looking up-front fee of $65m indicates significant buy-in from AbbVie. No specific projects have been revealed, but EvolveImmune's currently preclinical pipeline includes CD3 and CD2-engaging trispecific MAbs against the antigens B7-H4 (EVOLVE-106), CD20 (EVOLVE-105) and ULBP2 (EVOLVE-104). Meanwhile, AbbVie's more traditional CD3-based T-cell engagers comprise the marketed anti-CD20 drug Epkinly, and the Teneo-derived anti-BCMA ABBV-383, with ABBV-184 (against Survivin) and the Genmab-partnered GEN1044 (5T4) having been terminated.
Selected 2024 deals with a T-cell engager focus
| Signed | Seller | Buyer | Deal | Up-front ($m) | Biodollar ($m) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct | EvolveImmune | AbbVie | Collaboration to discover CD2-co-stimulated T-cell engagers | 65 | 1,400 |
| Oct | ImmunoPrecise Antibodies | Biotheus | Licensing deal to develop TATX-20 (CAXII MAb) for bispecific use | Undisclosed | |
| Sep | BioAtla | Context Therapeutics | Licensing deal covering Nectin-4 T-cell engager BA3362 | 15 | 134 |
| Aug | Curon | Merck & Co | Acquisition of CD19 T-cell engager CN201 | 700 | 1,300 |
| Jul | Context Therapeutics | Link Immunotherapeutics | Acquisition of mesothelin T-cell engager CT-95 | 4 | 4 |
| Jul | Keymed | Belenos Biosciences | Licensing deal covering the bispecific MAbs CM512 & CM536 | Undisclosed | 170 |
| Jun | Yellowstone Biosciences | VC investors | Series A financing to develop T-cell engagers | 21 | 21 |
| Mar | Dassault Systèmes | CDR-Life | Collaboration to discover T-cell engagers | Undisclosed | |
| Mar | Pierre and Marie Curie Center | Biomunex | Collaboration to discover mucosal associated invariant T-cell engagers | Undisclosed | |
Source: OncologyPipeline.
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