PDS Biotechnology Corporation,  a privately held biotechnology company, has signed an exclusive worldwide licensing agreement with Germany- based Merck KGaA for use of its novel Versamune nanotechnology platform in two of Merck's investigational antigen-specific cancer immunotherapies currently in pre-clinical development.

Merck obtains the rights to utilize the technology with two investigational antigen-specific cancer immunotherapies which are in pre-clinical development.

Under the terms of the licensing agreement, PDS Biotechnology Corporation will receive an undisclosed upfront payment in cash, as well as development milestone payments, and commercial and sales milestone payments. PDS Biotechnology Corporation will also receive royalties on sales of the products incorporating the technology.

Dr Frank Bedu-Addo, chief executive of PDS Biotechnology Corporation said, “We are very pleased that Merck which is experienced in the clinical development of cancer immunotherapies would like to utilize the Versamune technology. For PDS Biotechnology Corporation, this deal is important since the company's business strategy is focused on a few strategic out-licensing or partnering deals at a preclinical or early clinical stage. This is the stage where companies will be seeking to enhance their pipelines by taking advantage of a new technology that has broad potential applications in clinical research into the treatment and prevention of cancer and infectious diseases.”

PDS Biotechnology Corporation is a privately held biotechnology company founded to exploit the newly discovered properties of specific synthetic positively charged (cationic) lipids to commercialize a new generation of immunotherapies and vaccines.