Harbour BioMed Enters Global Strategic Collaboration with Otsuka to Advance BCMAxCD3 Bispecific T-Cell Engagers

CAMBRIDGE, Mass., ROTTERDAM, Netherlands and SHANGHAI, June 22, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Harbour BioMed (HKEX: 02142), a global biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery and development of novel antibody therapeutics in immunology and oncology, today announced a global strategic collaboration with Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ('Otsuka') to advance BCMAxCD3 bispecific T-cell engagers for the treatment of autoimmune diseases.
Under the terms of the agreement, Otsuka is granted an exclusive license to develop, manufacture, and commercialize HBM7020, a BCMAxCD3 bispecific T-cell engager globally, excluding Greater China (Mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan). In return, Harbour BioMed will receive a total of $47 million in upfront and near-term payments. The company is also eligible for additional payments of up to $623 million upon the achievement of specified development and commercial milestones, as well as tiered royalties on future net sales. This strategic collaboration establishes a foundation for potential future partnerships between the two companies in the T-cell engager area.
'We are delighted to collaborate with Otsuka, a global healthcare leader renowned for its innovative approach to addressing unmet medical needs,' said Dr. Jingsong Wang, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Harbour BioMed. 'This collaboration underscores the strength of Harbour BioMed's proprietary Harbour Mice® and HBICE® technology platforms, which enable the rapid development of fully human bispecific antibodies with optimized safety and efficacy profiles. By leveraging our unique capabilities, we are well-positioned to advance next-generation biotherapeutics that can make a meaningful difference in patients' lives worldwide.'
Makoto Inoue, President and Representative Director of Otsuka Pharmaceutical, noted, 'Otsuka is expanding our development pipeline in the autoimmune disease field by leveraging the antibody drug platform of our subsidiary Visterra, and the small molecule drug discovery platform of our subsidiary Jnana. HBM7020 is expected to demonstrate efficacy in a broad range of autoimmune diseases in which B cells play a major role in disease pathogenesis, and we hope to contribute further to the field of specialized autoimmune diseases and thereby benefit patients.'
About HBM7020
HBM7020 is a BCMAxCD3 bispecific antibody generated using Harbour BioMed's fully human HBICE® bispecific technology and Harbour Mice® platform. It is designed to crosslink target cells and T cells by binding to BCMA and CD3 on the cell surface, leading to potent T cell activation and targeted cell elimination. By incorporating dual anti-BCMA binding sites for enhanced cell targeting and monovalent-optimized CD3 activity to minimize cytokine release syndrome (CRS), HBM7020 has demonstrated potent cytotoxicity with broad therapeutic potential in both immunological and oncological diseases. In August 2023, HBM7020 obtained IND clearance from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) to commence a Phase I trial for cancer in China.
About Harbour BioMed
Harbour BioMed (HKEX: 02142) is a global biopharmaceutical company committed to the discovery and development of novel antibody therapeutics in immunology and oncology. The company is building a robust and differentiated pipeline through internal R&D capabilities, strategic global collaborations in co-discovery and co-development, and selective acquisitions.
Harbour BioMed's proprietary antibody technology platform, Harbour Mice®, generates fully human monoclonal antibodies in both the conventional two heavy and two light chain (H2L2) format and the heavy chain-only (HCAb) format. Building upon HCAb antibodies, the HCAb-based immune cell engagers (HBICE®) bispecific antibody technology enables tumor-killing effects that traditional combination therapies cannot achieve. Additionally, the HCAb-based bispecific immune cell antagonist (HBICATM) technology empowers the development of innovative biologics for immunological and inflammatory diseases. By integrating Harbour Mice®, HBICE®, and HBICATM with a single B-cell cloning platform, Harbour BioMed has built a highly efficient and distinctive antibody discovery engine for developing next-generation therapeutic antibodies. For more information, please visit www.harbourbiomed.com .
About Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. is a total healthcare company that focuses on each individual's potential to enhance their well-being. Our medical-related business provides treatments and diagnostics for both physical and mental health. Our nutraceutical business supports daily health maintenance and improvement. Otsuka's unique products and services are based on scientific evidence, under the guidance of our corporate philosophy: Otsuka-people creating new products for better health worldwide.
For further information, please visit www.otsuka.co.jp/en/
View original content to download multimedia: https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/harbour-biomed-enters-global-strategic-collaboration-with-otsuka-to-advance-bcmaxcd3-bispecific-t-cell-engagers-302487815.html
SOURCE Harbour BioMed

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Learn with AIFact CheckingText to SpeechAI Summary

Related Articles

Bloomberg

3 hours ago

• Bloomberg

Montage Is Said to Hire Banks for $1 Billion Hong Kong Listing

Chinese chip designer Montage Technology Co. has hired banks for its planned Hong Kong listing that could raise about $1 billion, according to people familiar with the matter. The Shanghai-listed company is working with China International Capital Corp., Morgan Stanley and UBS Group AG on the potential share sale, the people said, asking not to be identified because the information isn't public.

Yahoo

5 hours ago

• Yahoo

XtalPi Announces Strategic Collaboration with Harvard Professor Gregory Verdine's DoveTree LLC to Advance Novel Therapeutics Using AI+Robotics Drug Discovery Platform

CAMBRIDGE, Mass. , June 23, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- XtalPi, a global leader in AI- and robotics-powered drug and materials discovery, today announced it has signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) with DoveTree LLC, founded by Harvard University Professor and renowned biopharma entrepreneur-investor Gregory Verdine. The parties intend to execute a definitive agreement shortly. Under the collaboration, XtalPi will leverage its end-to-end, AI and robotics-driven platform to discover and develop small molecule and antibody drug candidates for multiple DoveTree-selected targets addressing oncology, autoimmune disorders, and neurological diseases. Pursuant to the LOI, XtalPi will receive an upfront payment of $51 million within 10 days of executing the definitive agreement and an additional $49 million within 180 days. Subject to final agreement terms, XtalPi is also eligible to receive potential development and commercial milestone payments exceeding $10 billion, as well as tiered, single-digit royalties on annual net product sales. DoveTree will obtain exclusive global development and commercialization rights to the resulting therapeutics. Professor Gregory Verdine, the Erving Professor of Chemistry at Harvard University, is a pioneer in chemical biology and a distinguished serial entrepreneur. Appointed to Harvard's faculty at age 29, he became the Chemistry Department's youngest tenured professor in nearly five decades at 35. He has elucidated the molecular mechanism of epigenetic DNA methylation and revealed the pathways by which certain genotoxic forms of DNA damage are identified and eradicated. He is a leading figure in the field of new therapeutic modalities, and has developed of a new class of therapeutics termed stapled peptides, enabling drug development against targets long considered undruggable. As an entrepreneurial leader, Professor Verdine has founded or co-founded over ten biotechnology companies, including five publicly listed entities: Enanta Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: ENTA), Tokai Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ: TKAI), and Wave Life Sciences (NASDAQ: WVE), among others. One venture was acquired by a major pharmaceutical company, while others continue developing disruptive medicines with a special focus on oncology. Three therapeutics he spearheaded—romidepsin (Istodax®), paritaprevir (a component of Viekira Pak®), and glecaprevir (a component of Mavyret®) —have received FDA approval. Professor Verdine currently serves as a Venture Partner at Andreessen Horowitz (a16z), a role he previously held at Apple Tree Partners, Third Rock Ventures, and WuXi Healthcare Ventures. He was also a Special Advisor to Texas Pacific Group. His advisory engagements include top research institutions such as the U.S. National Cancer Institute and Harvard Medical School. "By integrating XtalPi's cutting-edge AI capabilities with decades of drug development expertise, we have a unique opportunity to deliver transformative therapies to patients worldwide," stated Professor Verdine. About XtalPi XtalPi Holdings Limited (XtalPi, was founded in 2015 by three physicists from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). It is an innovative R&D platform powered by quantum physics, artificial intelligence, and robotics. By integrating first-principles calculations, AI algorithms, high-performance cloud computing, and standardized automation systems, XtalPi provides digital and intelligent R&D solutions for companies in the pharmaceutical, materials science, agricultural technology, energy, new chemicals, and cosmetics industries. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE XtalPi Inc.

Yahoo

5 hours ago

• Yahoo

Xiaomi to unveil prices for new YU7 SUV at June 26 launch

SHANGHAI (Reuters) -Xiaomi's CEO Lei Jun said on Monday that the firm plans to hold an official launch event for its new YU7 electric sports utility vehicle on Thursday, where it is expected to announce pricing and start taking orders. Lei made the announcement on his Weibo account. Xiaomi earlier announced specifications for its second EV model in May. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data