US-based drugmaker Gilead Sciences has partnered with German biotech company Tubulis to discover and develop an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) against a solid tumour target.
Tubulis is developing unique ADC candidates, with superior biophysical properties, durable on-tumour delivery, and long-lasting anti-tumour activity in preclinical models.
Its first NaPi2b-targeting programme TUB-040 is currently evaluated in ovarian and non-small cell lung cancers, followed by the second candidate TUB-030, targeting 5T4.
Under the terms of the option and license agreement, Tubulis will receive an upfront payment of $20m and a separate option exercise fee of $30m, if Gilead exercises its option.
Also, the German drugmaker is eligible to receive up to $415m in development and commercialisation milestone payments, in addition to tiered royalties on sales of products.
Tubulis will lead early-stage research and development activities for the ADC programme.
Gilead will be responsible for further development and commercialisation activities if it chooses to license the programme.
Through the partnership, Gilead will gain access to Tubulis’ in-house developed Tubutecan and Alco5 platforms.
The two companies will collaborate to select the best technology to design a topoisomerase I inhibitor-based ADC candidate with superior biophysical properties and stability.
Gilead Sciences research executive vice president Flavius Martin said: “As we expand our oncology portfolio to address the greatest gaps in care, accessing novel technologies is critical to advancing our pipeline.
“With Gilead’s ongoing focus on innovating with next-generation therapies and combinations, we are excited to partner with Tubulis to explore a range of solutions that may help increase the therapeutic value of the ADC modality.”
Tubulis CEO and co-founder Dominik Schumacher said: “Tubulis remains primarily focused on driving value through our own clinical development programs while selectively building partnerships with leaders in the industry.”
In a separate development, the European Commission (EC) has signed a contract agreement with Gilead for the supply of its drug Veklury (Remdesivir) for Covid-19.
EC’s Health Emergency Preparedness and Response Authority (HERA) signed the agreement after the previous contract expired in January 2024.
The joint procurement provides the 37 participating countries with medical countermeasures, either as an alternative or in addition to their national procurement.
