AMSTERDAM, NETHERLANDS – January 4, 2019 – Synaffix B.V. announced today it has entered into a license agreement with Mersana Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on discovering and developing a pipeline of antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting cancers in areas of high unmet need. This agreement provides Mersana access to Synaffix’s industry-leading site-specific GlycoConnect™ ADC technology that has consistently demonstrated an ability to improve both the safety and the efficacy profiles of ADC product candidates. Synaffix is eligible to receive upfront and milestone payments on a per-target basis with a projected total deal value of $295 million, plus royalties.
Under the terms of the agreement, Mersana has been granted a non-exclusive license to incorporate GlycoConnect™ into one of its ADC development candidates, as well as an option to expand to additional programs. This agreement follows a research collaboration between the two companies that was centered around multiple product candidates.
“After evaluating several site-specific conjugation platforms, we have chosen Synaffix’s GlycoConnect™ technology for use in future ADC candidates,” said Anna Protopapas, President and Chief Executive Officer of Mersana. “We are excited about the potential of this technology as it is designed not to require additional antibody engineering or cell-line modifications, which would offer us the potential to create site-specific antibodies for use in our ADCs when required.”
“We are particularly excited to enter into this agreement with a leading company in the field of ADCs such as Mersana,” said Peter van de Sande, CEO of Synaffix, who added “This collaboration is another testimony of the additional value that GlycoConnect™ is able to provide to already cutting-edge ADC technologies, thereby enabling novel medicines that are uniquely positioned to address areas of unmet medical need.”
Per the agreement, Mersana is responsible for the research, development, manufacturing and commercialization of any resulting ADC product while Synaffix will supply components that are specifically related to its proprietary GlycoConnect™ technology.
About GlycoConnect™
The proprietary GlycoConnect™ technology of Synaffix is a platform ADC technology that utilizes proprietary enzymes and metal-free click conjugation to stably attach ADC payloads specifically to the native glycan of any antibody, a privileged site for ADC applications. This approach can be applied directly to an existing antibody without any DNA and or protein engineering and is compatible with all ADC payload classes. The growing experience of Synaffix and its collaboration partners continues to confirm the ability of GlycoConnect™ to consistently generate ADCs that are more effective and better tolerated when compared to the three major clinical-stage ADC conjugation technologies.
About Synaffix B.V.
Synaffix B.V. is a Dutch biotechnology company that enables highly competitive ADC product candidates using its site-specific ADC technology platform. In addition to GlycoConnect™ and the ADC-enhancing HydraSpace™ technology, the extension of the platform with toxSYN™ payloads provides a fully complimentary technology platform that enables any company with an antibody to develop superior, proprietary ADC products.
The Synaffix platform comes with an IND-ready CMC package to support rapid timeline to clinic. Granted patents covering Synaffix’s technology provide end-to-end protection of the platform technology as well as resulting products through at least 2035. The business model of Synaffix is target-specific technology out-licensing.
Synaffix is backed by a top tier, life science-focused investor syndicate including Aravis, BioGeneration Ventures, BOM Capital and M Ventures.
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