XOMA and Shering-Plough enter R&D accord

XOMA has formed a collaboration with fellow USA-based drugmaker Schering-Plough focused on therapeutic monoclonal antibody discovery and development. Under the terms of the agreement, S-P will make up-front and milestone payments, fund R&D activities related to the agreement and pay royalties to XOMA on sales of products resulting from the collaboration of upto $75.0 million. Additional financial terms were not disclosed. Using its collection of phage display libraries and optimization technologies, XOMA will discover therapeutic antibodies against one or more targets selected by S-P, and it may also utilize its proprietary Human Engineering technology to humanize antibody candidates generated by hybridoma techniques. XOMA will also undertake preclinical studies to support regulatory filings, development of cell line and processes, as well as the production of antibodies for initial clinical trials.