More than 30 years after entering the scene as a first-generation monoclonal antibody pioneer, Morphosys AG is to be acquired by Novartis AG for €2.7 billion (US$2.9 billion). The all-cash deal, announced after Nasdaq closed on Feb. 5, will see Novartis paying €68 per share, a premium of 94% to the average daily price in the month leading up to Jan. 25, when rumors of a takeover started swirling.
Xencor Inc. and Janssen Biotech Inc., already partners on the development of bispecific antibodies against CD28 for prostate cancer, have reached a second agreement licensing to Janssen exclusive development and commercialization rights to Xencor's phase I bispecific antibody, plamotamab, for the treatment of B-cell malignancies, both as a monotherapy and in combination regimens.
Innocare Pharma Ltd. has signed a licensing agreement with Incyte Corp. for the exclusive rights to the monoclonal antibody Monjuvi (tafasitamab) for hematology and oncology indications in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Under the terms of the deal, Innocare will pay Incyte an up-front fee of $35 million, as well as up to $82.5 million in potential development, regulatory and commercial milestones and tiered royalties.
LONDON – Morphosys AG finally has some heft to put behind its U.S. commercialization ambitions following FDA approval for its long-nurtured anti-CD19 antibody, Monjuvi (tafasitamab-cxix) in relapsed or refractory diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (r/rDLBCL).