AbbVie punts up to ~$5 billion on RemeGen bispecific antibody

US pharma major AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) and China’s RemeGen (09995: HK) today announced an exclusive licensing agreement for the development, manufacturing and commercialization of RC148, a novel investigational programmed cell death-1 (PD-1)/V7 vascular endothelial growth Factor (VEGF)-targeted bispecific antibody.

RC148 is currently being developed by RemeGen as a monotherapy and in combination regimens across multiple advanced solid tumors.

PD-1/VEGF-targeted bispecific antibodies represent a new class of cancer therapies that aim to help the immune system fight tumors more effectively and potentially overcome tumor resistance mechanisms by blocking both PD-1 and VEGF simultaneously. Additionally, given their potential to modulate both immune suppression and foster a favorable tumor microenvironment for antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) activity, PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibodies are also being explored in combination with ADCs. In early clinical studies, RC148 has shown initial favorable antitumor activity in combination with an ADC.