Ablynx and Merck Serono expand collaboration on Nanobodies

Belgian drug developer Ablynx (Euronext Brussels: ABLX) and Merck Serono, the biotech unit of Germany’s Merck KGaA (MRK: DE), have expanded their collaboration on co-discovery and co-development of nanobodies. The companies have signed a multi-year research alliance that could lead to at least four co-discovery and co-development collaborations.

Under the terms of the agreement, Merck Serono will fund a dedicated discovery group at Ablynx. Both partners will jointly select disease targets against which this group will develop Nanobodies, up to in vivo proof-of-principle. The dedicated group will focus on the discovery and development of Nanobodies against a number of targets across multiple disease areas. The collaboration will span all of Merck Serono's core research and development fields, including oncology, immuno-oncology, immunology and neurology.

Partnership could create value for both