THERAPEUTIC ANTIBODY-DRUG CONJUGATES DRUG DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM
Antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) are a new class of highly potent biopharmaceutical drugs designed as a targeted therapy for the treatment of cancer. By combining the unique targeting capabilities of monoclonal antibodies with the cancer-killing ability of cytotoxic drugs, antibody-drug conjugates allow sensitive discrimination between healthy and diseased tissue.
MULTICELL IMMUNOTHERAPEUTICS, INC. (MCIT)
We licensed exclusive rights to three ADCs that MCIT will prepare for our further evaluation as prospective therapeutics for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer, as well as multiple myeloma and associated osteolytic bone disease.
MCIT’s ADC platform technology is based on unique multivalent, cleavable linkers that allow drugs tethered to the antibody to be released intracellularly or extracellularly upon the binding of the antibody to the target cell. Additionally, the MCIT’s ADC technology platform allows multiple drugs to be attached per targeting antibody and to release the drugs in their original form without modification of the drug.
MultiCell Technologies (OTCPK: MCET) subsidiary MultiCell Immunotherapeutics enters into a research and development and product license agreement with Oxis Biotech (OTCQB: OXIS) to create three novel antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) based on Oxis' lead drug candidates and MultiCell's proprietary ADC platform technology. The ADCs will be targeted for the treatment of triple-negative breast cancer and multiple myeloma and associated osteolytic lesions.
Under the terms of the agreement, Oxis will pay MultiCell a license fee of $500K, up to $12.75M in clinical development milestones and a royalty of 3% on net sales. Oxis will also reimburse MultiCell up to $1.125M in development costs. MultiCell grants Oxis an option to purchase manufacturing rights to the three ADCs upon the payment of an additional $10M.
MultiCell retains all rights to its ADC platform for all indications and is free to pursue its own drug development programs and to partner with other firms.