Genmab, a publicly traded, international biotechnology company, has entered into a research collaboration with Eli Lilly and Company to use and evaluate Genmab's DuoBody technology platform for the creation of bispecific antibodies.  Under the collaboration, Lilly will initially evaluate the DuoBody technology platform in house.   

"Our DuoBody platform continues to attract strong interest from the pharmaceutical industry and we are pleased to enter our fifth partnership for this innovative bispecific antibody technology.  Under this new collaboration, Lilly will evaluate the capabilities and strengths of our DuoBody platform and may consider entering a commercial license agreement if the evaluation is successful," said Jan van de Winkel, chief executive officer of Genmab.

The financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed.  This agreement will not have a material impact on Genmab's financial results and cash position.

The DuoBody platform is an innovative platform for the discovery and development of bispecific antibodies that may improve antibody therapy of cancer, autoimmune, infectious and central nervous system disease. Bispecific antibodies bind to two different epitopes either on the same, or on different targets (also known as dual-targeting) which may improve the antibodies' specificity and efficacy in inactivating the disease targets. DuoBody molecules are unique in combining the benefits of bispecificity with the strengths of conventional antibodies which allows DuoBody molecules to be administered and dosed as other antibody therapeutics. Genmab's DuoBody platform generates bispecific antibodies via a fast and broadly applicable process which is easily performed at standard bench, as well as commercial, manufacturing scale.

Genmab is a publicly traded, international biotechnology company specializing in the creation and development of differentiated human antibody therapeutics for the treatment of cancer.  Founded in 1999, the company's first marketed antibody, ofatumumab (Arzerra), was approved to treat chronic lymphocytic leukemia in patients who are refractory to fludarabine and alemtuzumab after less than eight years in development.