AbCellera and Regeneron have extended their current multi-target collaboration to discover therapeutic antibodies for up to eight targets selected by the latter, an increase from the initial four.

Started in March 2020, the collaboration utilises AbCellera’s antibody discovery engine and the VelocImmune mice of Regeneron to detect new therapeutic antibodies.

AbCellera has started programmes for all four original targets. Regeneron is exercising its rights to advance these candidates into further preclinical development for the two programmes that have concluded.

As per the agreement, Regeneron has the rights for the development and commercialisation of therapeutic antibodies resulting from the alliance.

AbCellera, which secures research payments, is also eligible for downstream clinical and regulatory milestones and royalties on product net sales.

AbCellera founder and CEO Carl Hansen said: “Having successfully delivered on two challenging discovery campaigns under the original agreement, we are excited to expand the scope of our collaboration with Regeneron to include up to four additional targets.

“We look forward to using our antibody discovery and development engine to bolster Regeneron’s preclinical portfolio and help identify promising candidates for their programmes.”

Recently, AbCellera announced a strategic partnership with Incyte for the discovery and development of therapeutic antibodies in oncology.

Incyte will own the rights to develop and commercialise the therapeutic cancer antibodies that result from the alliance while AbCellera will receive research payments, downstream clinical and regulatory milestone payments and royalties for net product sales from Incyte.