Genmab Announces DuoBody Platform Collaboration With Kyowa Hakko Kirin
December 05 2012 - 2:09AM
Company Announcement
- DuoBody® research
collaboration with Kyowa Hakko Kirin
- Genmab's fourth DuoBody technology
collaboration
Genmab A/S (Copenhagen:GEN) announced
today a research collaboration with Kyowa Hakko Kirin Co., Ltd. to
create bispecific antibodies using Genmab's DuoBody
technology. If successful, the parties may decide to enter
into a license agreement to develop a new DuoBody product.
"We have made excellent progress in partnering our innovative
DuoBody technology platform, with the Kyowa Hakko Kirin agreement
marking our fourth DuoBody platform collaboration within the past
year. We believe this keen level of interest on the part of top
tier pharmaceutical companies clearly illustrates the promise of
bispecific antibodies created with the DuoBody platform, and also
demonstrates the technology's compatibility with a range of
antibody-platforms," said Jan van de Winkel, Ph.D., Chief Executive
Officer of Genmab.
The financial terms of the agreement have not been
disclosed. This agreement will not have a material impact on
Genmab's 2012 financial guidance.
About the DuoBody Platform The DuoBody platform
is an innovative platform for the discovery and development of
bispecific antibodies that may improve antibody therapy of cancer,
autoimmune, infectious and central nervous system disease.
Bispecific antibodies bind to two different epitopes either on the
same, or on different targets (also known as dual-targeting) which
may improve the antibodies' specificity and efficacy in
inactivating the disease targets. DuoBody molecules are unique in
combining the benefits of bispecificity with the strengths of
conventional antibodies which allows DuoBody molecules to be
administered and dosed as other antibody therapeutics. Genmab's
DuoBody platform generates bispecific antibodies via a fast and
broadly applicable process which is easily performed at standard
bench, as well as commercial, manufacturing scale.
About Genmab A/S Genmab is a publicly traded,
international biotechnology company specializing in the creation
and development of differentiated human antibody therapeutics for
the treatment of cancer. Founded in 1999, the company's first
marketed antibody, ofatumumab (Arzerra(r)), was approved to treat
chronic lymphocytic leukemia in patients who are refractory to
fludarabine and alemtuzumab after less than eight years in
development. Genmab's validated and next generation antibody
technologies are expected to provide a steady stream of future
product candidates. Partnering of innovative product
candidates and technologies is a key focus of Genmab's strategy and
the company has alliances with top tier pharmaceutical and
biotechnology companies. For more information visit
www.genmab.com.
Contact: Rachel Curtis Gravesen, Senior Vice
President, Investor Relations & Communications T: +45 33 44 77
20; M: +45 25 12 62 60; E: r.gravesen@genmab.com
This Company Announcement contains forward looking statements.
The words "believe", "expect", "anticipate", "intend" and "plan"
and similar expressions identify forward looking statements. Actual
results or performance may differ materially from any future
results or performance expressed or implied by such statements. The
important factors that could cause our actual results or
performance to differ materially include, among others, risks
associated with pre-clinical and clinical development of products,
uncertainties related to the outcome and conduct of clinical trials
including unforeseen safety issues, uncertainties related to
product manufacturing, the lack of market acceptance of our
products, our inability to manage growth, the competitive
environment in relation to our business area and markets, our
inability to attract and retain suitably qualified personnel, the
unenforceability or lack of protection of our patents and
proprietary rights, our relationships with affiliated entities,
changes and developments in technology which may render our
products obsolete, and other factors. For a further discussion of
these risks, please refer to the risk management sections in
Genmab's most recent financial reports, which are available on
www.genmab.com. Genmab does not undertake any obligation to update
or revise forward looking statements in this Company Announcement
nor to confirm such statements in relation to actual results,
unless required by law.
Genmab®; the Y-shaped Genmab logo®; HuMax®; HuMax-CD20®;
DuoBody® and UniBody® are all trademarks of Genmab A/S.
Arzerra® is a trademark of GlaxoSmithKline.
Company Announcement no. 32 CVR no. 2102 3884
Genmab A/S Bredgade 34E 1260 Copenhagen K Denmark