arGEN-X, a clinical stage biopharmaceutical company specialized in the creation and development of highly differentiated human antibody therapeutics, has signed its second non-exclusive license agreement for its antibody half-life extension technology, NHance. Both licenses granted to date are with companies dedicated to developing and commercializing antibody-based therapeutics with clear clinical benefits.
Under the terms of these agreements, arGEN-X receives upfront technology access and annual license maintenance fees, in addition to clinical milestone payments and tiered royalties on product sales. No further details are being disclosed.
Commenting on today's announcement, Tim Van Hauwermeiren, CEO of arGEN-X, said: "Since our recent launch of NHance, we have witnessed considerable interest from companies seeking to develop antibody therapeutics with best in class attributes. As a novel, validated approach to optimizing antibody pharmacokinetics, NHance delivers longer drug residence times in the body, enabling less frequent subcutaneous dosing, improved patient convenience and attractive pharmacoeconomics. In addition to applying NHance to our own pipeline programmes, we intend to exploit our unique IP position by commercializing the technology both through arms length licensing and broader antibody discovery collaborations. We are therefore pleased to enter into these agreements and fully expect to generate further NHance partnerships in the future."
NHance is an arGEN-X proprietary technology capable of increasing the half life of a therapeutic antibody in the human systemic circulation. NHance achieves this through 2 specific mutations in the antibody Fc region (at His433 and Asn434), resulting in an improved affinity of antibody binding to the neonatal Fc receptor at acidic pH. This receptor is responsible for recycling the antibody within the human body. Enhanced antibody serum levels resulting from prolonged half-life may lead to a higher therapeutic effect, lower material requirements for the same therapeutic effect, and/or reduced dosing frequency. The technology may also further enhance antibody transport across mucosal barriers, enabling alternative routes of antibody product administration.