AbbVie has signed a partnership and licensing agreement with OSE Immunotherapeutics for the latter’s monoclonal antibody OSE-230 in a deal worth up to $713m.
OSE-230 is a monoclonal antibody that targets ChemR23, a G-Protein coupled receptor (GPCR). The therapy can potentially resolve chronic inflammation and modulate the function of macrophages and neutrophils. It is currently in preclinical development.
Following the news, OSE’s stock was up by more than 55% in trading today. The French pharmaceutical company’s market cap stands at $111.2m.
Under the collaboration agreement, AbbVie will pay $48m in upfront payment for the exclusive global licence of the therapy. OSE will also be in line to receive up to $665m in milestone-based payments along with tiered royalties on net sales.
OSE has a pipeline of multiple monoclonal antibody candidates that it is developing in collaboration with other pharmaceutical companies. The company is developing two signal regulatory protein α (SIRPα) targeting monoclonal antibodies—BI 765063/ OSE-172 and BI 770371—in collaboration with Boehringer Ingelheim.
BI 765063 is being evaluated as a combination therapy with different cancer therapies such as Boehringer’s ezabenlimab, BI 836880, chemotherapy, and Eli Lilly’s Erbitux (cetuximab) in a Phase I trial (NCT05249426). BI 770371 is being evaluated as a monotherapy and in combination with a PD1 inhibitor, BI 754091, in an international Phase I dose escalation and expansion trial (NCT05327946) in patients with solid tumours.
OSE is also developing an anti-CD28 selective monoclonal antibody FR104/VEL-101 in partnership with Denmark-based Veloxis Pharmaceuticals. It is being researched as a treatment to help prevent organ rejection in people who have had a kidney transplant. In February 2022, the therapy received a fast track designation by the FDA for prophylaxis against transplant rejection. Veloxis is planning Phase II trials for the subcutaneous therapy.
AbbVie has also made recent investments related to antibody therapies. In December 2023, it partnered with BigHat Biosciences to identify and develop antibody therapies in oncology and neuroscience indications. On a larger scale, in November 2023, AbbVie announced a $10.1bn ImmunoGen acquisition deal. The antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) Elahere (mirvetuximab soravtansine-gynx) was a central part of the deal. The therapy was granted priority review by the US Food and Drug Administration with a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) action date of 5 April 2024.
