AsianScientist (Mar. 21, 2019) – Chinese biopharmaceutical company BeiGene and US-based protein therapeutics firm Ambrx have announced a collaboration on biologics drug discovery.
Ambrx has developed proprietary expanded genetic code technology platforms designed to allow the incorporation of non-natural amino acids into proteins in both Escherichia coli and Chinese Hamster Ovary cells. The collaboration thus leverages Ambrx’s drug discovery technology platforms with BeiGene’s expertise and resources to pursue the development and commercialization of next-generation biologics drugs.
Ambrx will receive an upfront payment of US$10 million to fund the initial discovery and research activities, and will be eligible for additional upfront payments of up to US$19 million if BeiGene elects to initiate additional programs. Further payments up to an aggregate of US$446 million for all programs, in addition to tiered royalties on future global sales, may be made to Ambrx from potential development, regulatory and sales-based milestones. BeiGene will have worldwide rights to develop and commercialize any drug products resulting from the collaboration.
“We are excited to have access to the Ambrx platform technology, which can be used to introduce non-natural amino acids selectively and specifically into a protein at any site, to develop novel biologic compounds. We believe that by incorporating this site-specific conjugation technology, we can further broaden BeiGene’s portfolio of next-generation biologics,” said Mr. John V. Oyler, founder, CEO and Chairman of BeiGene.
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Source: Ambrx; Photo: Shutterstock.
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