Adimab LLC, the technology leader in the discovery and optimization of fully human therapeutic antibodies, and Mersana Therapeutics Inc., a next-generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) company, announced the initiation of a joint effort to offer integrated antibody discovery and ADC technologies. The alliance is built to offer pharmaceutical companies seamless access to Adimab’s world-class antibodies that have been specifically optimized for use in ADCs together with Mersana’s Fleximer polymer and broad array of customizable linkers for attaching diverse, potent payloads.
“We are excited to couple Mersana’s innovative ADC technology with our platform for use by the pharmaceutical industry. The flexibility in payloads, linkers and drug loading enabled by Mersana’s Fleximer technology complements Adimab’s philosophy of tailoring drug development to the biology of the target of interest,” said Adimab CEO Tillman Gerngross. “With this deal, Adimab is further expanding its footprint beyond monoclonal antibody discovery. We view ADCs, as well as other aspects of antibody discovery such as bispecific formats, as important tools in the development of novel therapeutics.”
“Over the past three years Adimab has established itself as the premier therapeutic antibody discovery company in the industry,” said Mersana CEO Nicholas Bacopoulos. “We are excited to combine Adimab’s technology with our highly differentiated ADC platform consisting of our clinically validated Fleximer polymer, diverse linkers and a wide variety of payloads. Adimab’s tailored approach fits perfectly with the customized design of Fleximer ADCs and together we can provide ADCs with increased likelihood of target selectivity and therapeutic efficacy. With our recently announced financing, this alliance represents a significant step forward in the company’s transformation into a next-generation ADC company.”
Date: August 15, 2012
Source: Adimab LLC
Filed Under: Drug Discovery