On January 17, 2019 Zymeworks Inc. (NYSE/TSX: ZYME), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing multifunctional therapeutics, reported the achievement of a new development milestone in its collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company ("Lilly") (Press release, Zymeworks, JAN 17, 2019, View Source;Submission [SID1234532710]). In accordance with Zymeworks’ 2014 licensing and collaboration agreement with Lilly, Zymeworks will receive a milestone payment of US$8.0 million for Lilly’s submission of an IND application for an immuno-oncology bispecific antibody enabled by Zymeworks’ proprietary Azymetric platform.
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"We believe that Lilly’s submission of a second IND on an Azymetric bispecific drug candidate within a six-month period is further evidence that Zymeworks’ platform technologies are enabling our global pharmaceutical partners to accelerate drug development into the clinic," said Ali Tehrani, Ph.D., President and Chief Executive Officer of Zymeworks. "As one of our first collaborators, Lilly’s successes demonstrate the ease of use, productivity and promise of our proprietary platforms, especially for advancing therapeutic programs into the clinical setting."
Under its two licensing and collaboration agreements with Lilly, Zymeworks has granted Lilly worldwide licenses to research, develop, and commercialize multiple bispecific therapeutics directed towards Lilly’s targets. To date, Zymeworks has received multiple equity investments, an upfront licensing payment and multiple research and development milestone payments under these agreements. Zymeworks is also eligible to receive further development and commercial milestone payments and tiered royalties on global product sales.
About the Azymetric Platform
The Azymetric platform enables the transformation of monospecific antibodies into bispecific antibodies, giving the antibodies the ability to simultaneously bind two different targets. This unique technology enables the development of multifunctional biotherapeutics that can block multiple signaling pathways, recruit immune cells to tumors, enhance receptor clustering degradation, and increase tumor-specific targeting. These features are intended to enhance efficacy while reducing toxicities and the potential for drug resistance. Azymetric bispecifics have been engineered to retain the desirable drug-like qualities of naturally occurring antibodies, including low immunogenicity, long half-life and high stability. In addition, they are compatible with standard manufacturing processes with high yields and purity, potentially significantly reducing drug development costs and timelines.