Administration 

LEO Pharma and Zymeworks Enter into Bispecific Antibody Licensing and Research Collaboration

PRM / LEO Pharma and Zymeworks Enter into Bispecific Antibody Licensing and Research Collaboration

Dette er en pressemeddelelse leveret af Via Ritzau.

Pressemeddelelse fra LEO Pharma

  • LEO Pharma will retain the rights to develop two bispecifics for dermatology applications; Zymeworks will retain the rights to develop antibodies from the research collaboration in all other therapeutic areas
  • Zymeworks is eligible to receive up to US$236 million in upfront and milestone payments for the first therapeutic candidate, and up to US$244 million for the second, plus research funding payments and potential royalties on product sales

Vancouver, Canada and Ballerup, Denmark (October 23, 2018) - Zymeworks Inc. (NYSE/TSX: ZYME), a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company developing multifunctional therapeutics, and LEO Pharma A/S, a global leader in medical dermatology,have entered into a licensing and research collaboration to discover and develop bispecific antibodies targeting cytokine-receptor pathways using Zymeworks' antibody discovery capabilities and its proprietary Azymetric™ and EFECT™ platforms. LEO Pharma will have exclusive rights to further develop and commercialize two bispecific candidates in dermatology indications, while Zymeworks retains rights to develop antibodies in all other therapeutic areas.

"This marks our first joint antibody discovery and development collaboration, and we are excited to be working alongside LEO Pharma, a global leader in treatments for skin conditions," said Ali Tehrani, Ph.D., President and CEO of Zymeworks. "Targets that are compelling in dermatology are also attractive in other therapeutic areas where dysregulation of cytokine pathways contributes to disease, such as autoimmune disorders and inflammatory diseases. We are pleased to be combining our expertise with LEO Pharma's to explore a new class of targets and expand our pipeline of novel medicines to include protein therapeutics for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases."

"Innovation and partnerships are core to our approach in developing new medicines, and we believe bispecific antibodies offer a powerful new way of helping the body block defective cellular signaling," said Thorsten Thormann, Vice President, Research at LEO Pharma. "Zymeworks' unique platforms and expertise may allow us to expedite the discovery and development of new therapeutics for diseases of the skin, which remain a large source of unmet medical need."

Under the terms of the agreement, Zymeworks will provide LEO Pharma with a worldwide, royalty-bearing license to research, develop, and commercialize two bispecific antibodies directed to LEO Pharma's targets using Zymeworks' Azymetric and EFECT platforms. Zymeworks will receive an upfront payment of US$5 million and research funding payments, and is eligible to receive development and commercial milestone payments of up to US$231 million for the first therapeutic candidate and up to US$244 million for the second. In addition, Zymeworks is eligible to receive tiered royalties of up to 20% in the U.S. and high single-digit royalties elsewhere on any future sales of the first therapeutic candidate, and up to low double-digit royalties globally on any future sales of the second. Zymeworks retains the rights to develop antibodies targeting cytokine-receptor pathways in any non-dermatology indications, and LEO Pharma is eligible to receive commercial milestone payments and single-digit royalties on any future sales of such antibodies.

-END -

About the Azymetric™ Platform

The Azymetric platform enables the transformation of monospecific antibodies into bispecific antibodies, givingthe antibodiesthe ability to simultaneously bind two different targets. Azymetric bispecific 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.

About the EFECT™ Platform

The EFECT platform is a library of antibody Fc modifications engineered to modulate the activity of the antibody-mediated immune response, which includes both the up- and down-regulation of effector functions. This platform, which is compatible with traditional monoclonal as well as Azymetric bispecific antibodies, further enables the customization of therapeutic responses for different diseases.

About Zymeworks Inc.

Zymeworks is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the discovery, development, and commercialization of next-generation multifunctional biotherapeutics. Zymeworks' suite of complementary therapeutic platforms and its fully-integrated drug development engine provide the flexibility and compatibility to precisely engineer and develop highly-differentiated product candidates. Zymeworks' lead product candidate, ZW25, is a novel bispecific antibody currently being evaluated in an adaptive Phase 1 clinical trial. Zymeworks is also advancing a deep pipeline of preclinical product candidates and discovery-stage programs in immuno-oncology and other therapeutic areas. In addition to Zymeworks' wholly-owned pipeline, its therapeutic platforms have been further leveraged through multiple strategic partnerships with global biopharmaceutical companies. For more information, go to: www.zymeworks.com.

About LEO Pharma A/S

LEO Pharma helps people achieve healthy skin. By offering care solutions to patients in more than 130 countries globally, LEO Pharma supports people in managing their skin conditions. Founded in 1908 and owned by the LEO Foundation, the healthcare company headquartered in Denmark has devoted decades of research and development to delivering products and solutions to people with skin conditions. In 2017 LEO Pharma employed around 5,200 people worldwide and had sales of 1.4 billion euros. For more information, go to:

www.linkedin.com/company/leo-pharma

Cautionary Note Regarding Zymeworks' Forward-Looking Statements

This press release includes "forward-looking statements" within the meaning of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 and "forward-looking information" within the meaning of Canadian securities laws, or collectively, forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements in this news release include, but are not limited to, statements that relate to future collaboration of Zymeworks and LEO Pharma under the licensing and research agreement, potential payments and/or royalties to Zymeworks under the agreement, the speed and successful outcome of drug development plans, Zymeworks' ability to expand its pipeline of medicines beyond oncology, and other information that is not historical information. When used herein, words such as "will", "may", and similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements. In addition, any statements or information that refer to expectations, beliefs, plans, projections, objectives, performance or other characterizations of future events or circumstances, including any underlying assumptions, are forward-looking. All forward-looking statements are based upon Zymeworks' current expectations and various assumptions. Zymeworks believes there is a reasonable basis for its expectations and beliefs, but they are inherently uncertain. Zymeworks may not realize its expectations, and its beliefs may not prove correct. Actual results could differ materially from those described or implied by such forward-looking statements as a result of various factors, including, without limitation, market conditions and the factors described under "Risk Factors" in Zymeworks' Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q for the three and six months ended June 30, 2018 (a copy of which may be obtained at www.sec.gov and www.sedar.com). Consequently, forward-looking statements should be regarded solely as Zymeworks' current plans, estimates and beliefs. Investors should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Zymeworks cannot guarantee future results, events, levels of activity, performance or achievements. Zymeworks does not undertake and specifically declines any obligation to update, republish, or revise any forward-looking statements to reflect new information, future events or circumstances or to reflect the occurrences of unanticipated events, except as may be required by law.

Kontakt:

Contacts:   Zymeworks Investor Inquiries: Ryan Dercho, Ph.D. (604) 678-1388 ir@zymeworks.com Zymeworks Media Inquiries: Angela Bitting (925) 202-6211 a.bitting@comcast.net LEO Pharma Media Inquiries: Henrik Kyndlev Tel. +45 3140 6180 henrik.kyndlev@leo-pharma.com

Læs hele pressemeddelelsen på Via Ritzau her:

Mørke online fællesskaber grafik
Krimi

Mænd deler overgreb mod bedøvede partnere online: Her er hele serien

Melvin
Film og TV

Dansk komiker vil hylde sine venner på TV

rejsende i lufthavn
Advertorial

Annonce

3 gode grunde til at have en erhvervsrejseforsikring

ulv skudt
Nyheder

Nye ulveregler på vej: Det bliver lettere at skyde ulve

læge
Advertorial

Annonce

Få overblik over osteopati behandling hos specialister i hele landet

Alice detektor CERN
Nyheder

Forskere skaber et mini-Big Bang: Tættere på universets begyndelse

baby med iltmaske
Nyheder

Markant fald: Over 800 færre spædbørn indlagt med RS-virus

Barn
Nyheder

Er dit barn bekymret for krig og kriser? Her er syv råd til samtalen

Penge
Nyheder

Droppede jobbet efter 30 år: Så tikkede 1,1 millioner ind

Lyngborg
Nyheder

Flyttekasser og sække strømmede ind: Nu sendes hjælpen til Ghana

Vinderen af flisen 2026
Kendte

Frederik Cilius hædres med særlig pris

retten i glostrup
Krimi

Udlejer onanerede i lejers seng - nu er han dømt

Gnags
Underholdning

Alle vil se Gnags: Billetterne rives væk

politi dansk
Krimi

Stak mand syv gange med kniv: Får seks års fængsel

Bandholm Hotel
Nyheder

Nye påstande om Faderhuset: Nu reagerer politiet

dansk politi
Krimi

Genkender du dem? Politiet beder om hjælp efter indbrud

retten i Roskilde
Krimi

Ansat tog halsgreb på mindreårig - nu er han dømt

ældre
Nyheder

Patienter venter for længe på svar om demens

Lejligheder
Nyheder

Boligproblemer: Huslejen er højere end SUen

dansk politi
Krimi

Fulgte lastbiler med GPS: Nu udvises han for bestandig

cykler
Nyheder

Specialarbejdere langer ud efter københavnske el-delecykler

Ruth Evensen/Ruth Kristiansen
Nyheder

Medstifter af Faderhuset bryder tavsheden

Birgitte Alme og Lars Rytter
Debat

DEBAT: Reality-deltagere skal klædes ordentligt på

hæk
Advertorial

Annonce

Ligusterhække fra Dansk Hus & Have Service giver haven en klassisk og enkel afgrænsning

Restauranten
Mad og drikke

Ny restaurant sigter efter Michelin-stjerner

dansk politi
Krimi

Tre mænd anholdt: Politiet kæder dem til to knivoverfald

dansk politi
Krimi

Bilist snakkede i mobil - politiet kørte bag ham

Is
Nyheder

Her er danskernes sommer-favoritsnacks

tørre øjne
Sundhed

Tørre øjne efter skærmtid? Denne simple regel kan hjælpe

dansk politi
Krimi

17-årig jagtet med kniv på skole: Politiet søger vidner

Kongelige Norge - Harald go Haakon
Kongelige

Kong Harald er død - flaget går på halv stang i Oslo

retten i Roskilde
Krimi

Teenagere brændte udviklingshæmmet med cigaret og filmede det

Myrdet mand
Krimi

Politiet offentliggør nu billeder af dræbt mand - Genkender du ham?

AI
Nyheder

Analyse: AI har ikke taget folks arbejde - tværtimod

Odense kongrescenter
Nyheder

Landbruget samles i Odense: Næsten 3.000 har meldt sig

børnehavebarn
Nyheder

Ny undersøgelse: Mange børn venter på hjælp i daginstitutionen

retten i Kolding
Krimi

78-årig dømt for overgreb begået for 19 år siden

Gnags
Underholdning

Dansk musiklegende siger farvel: Nu er det slut

Pia Olsen Dyhr
Nyheder

Ny stor undersøgelse: Så tilfredse er forældrene med dagtilbud

Rune Mørch
Underholdning

Rune har sat sig et vildt mål: 100 koncerter på 100 dage

projektet
Nyheder

Hvis krisen rammer: 2.000 unge skal lære, hvad de skal gøre

festuge Århus
Underholdning

Aarhus bliver én stor scene: Her er noget af det, du kan opleve

villaen
Kendte

Købte villaen for 13 millioner: Nu vil kendt kunsthandler have 18,5

alliancen
Nyheder

Ny nordjysk alliance vil have større indflydelse på Christiansborg

told
Nyheder

Falske bildele strømmer ind: Antallet er næsten fordoblet på ét år

dansk politi
Krimi

Lastbilchauffør gik amok: Spyttede og slog turister