Exclusive global ADC development rights 바카라사이트 검증red with upfront payment, milestone fees, and royalties – Financial terms undisclosed
[by Yu, Suin] Y-Biologics, a company specializing in antibody therapeutics, announced on May 13 that it has entered into a technology transfer agreement with LigaChem Biosciences (hereinafter referred to as LigaChem Bio) for the development of ‘Immunomodulatory Antibody Conjugates (AICs),’ a promising class of next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) with an ‘immune-oncology mechanism.’
Under the agreement, Y-바카라사이트 검증logics will receive upfront payments, short-term milestones (stage-based technology fees), development and commercialization milestones, and royalties (ongoing technology fees) based on future sales from LigaChem 바카라사이트 검증. However, both companies have mutually agreed to keep the specific financial terms and details of the contract confidential due to trade secret considerations. Y-바카라사이트 검증logics will grant LigaChem 바카라사이트 검증 exclusive global rights for the ADC development of new antibodies with an immune-oncology mechanism.
An 바카라사이트 검증 with an immune-oncology mechanism is designed to either inhibit cancer cells from evading immune surveillance or to enhance the immune system’s ability to target and eliminate cancer cells. Notably, global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are increasingly focusing on developing ADCs that incorporate ‘immune system activating drugs’ instead of conventional cytotoxic agents, as this approach remains largely unexplored in commercialized therapies.
Prior to the execution of the technology transfer agreement, the two companies entered into a material transfer agreement (MTA) and conducted a mutual verification process aimed at identifying antibodies optimized for binding to LigaChem Bio’s ADC platform. This process involved screening new immune-oncology antibodies selected from Y-Biologics’ extensive human 바카라사이트 검증 library of over 100 billion unique variants (the largest in Korea). Through this selection, an 바카라사이트 검증 with an immune-oncology mechanism, characterized by high expression in various solid tumors and a direct role in immune activation, was identified as the final technology transfer candidate. The company emphasized that ADCs combining the 바카라사이트 검증 with ‘immune system activating drugs’ can maximize anticancer efficacy by simultaneously activating the immune system.
LigaChem Bio assessed that, through this agreement, the company has secured a critical 바카라사이트 검증 for the development of a first-in-class novel drug within the ADC market, specifically targeting high unmet medical need indications such as lung cancer and colon cancer. The company further announced its intention to leverage this 바카라사이트 검증 in the development of AICs, which it aims to pioneer as a globally first-in-class therapeutic approach.
AIC is emerging as a promising next-generation ADC modal바카라사이트 검증y, offering the potential to amplify the efficacy of previously less effective ADC targets or immune-oncology agents while also addressing the challenge of ADC resistance.
Through the agreement with LigaChem Bio, Y-Biologics has now secured two technology transfer contracts over the past year, adding to the milestone achieved this year. “It is particularly meaningful that LigaChem Bio, a leading global ADC company, has recognized the commercial potential of our novel immune-oncology 바카라사이트 검증, which we believe will play a key role in developing next-generation therapeutics capable of overcoming the limitations of existing ADCs,” said Park Young-woo, CEO of Y-Biologics.
“To address the challenges of low patient response rates and resistance associated with existing approved 바카라사이트 검증 immunotherapy drugs, leading global pharmaceutical and biotechnology companies are actively developing novel ADC drugs incorporating new payloads with distinct mechanisms of action, alongside conventional drug payloads,” Park further noted. “We believe that this year will mark the beginning of global recognition for the many, yet undisclosed, 바카라사이트 검증 portfolios we have meticulously developed over the years, and we plan to actively pursue additional technology transfer agreements with Korean and international ADC companies.”
In addition to its publicly disclosed pipeline of internally developed immunotherapy drugs, Y-바카라사이트 검증logics also maintains a portfolio of undisclosed antibodies and is actively engaged in various business discussions with multiple global pharmaceutical and 바카라사이트 검증tech companies.
The company particularly highlighted that during the American Association for Cancer Research (AACR 2025) conference held last month, global pharmaceutical companies with a strategic focus on acquiring ADC technologies using novel target antibodies expressed strong interest in Y-바카라사이트 검증logics’ next-generation ADC research findings, based on ‘pH-sensitive antibodies.’ At the event, Y-바카라사이트 검증logics presented research demonstrating how the principles of pH-sensitive antibodies and their application to ADCs can improve blood stability and improve intratumoral ADC distribution.