InvoX Pharma’s F-star announces licence agreement with Takeda for second novel next-generation immuno-oncology bispecific antibody

Bispecific antibody directed towards an undisclosed Takeda immuno-oncology target uses F-star’s proprietary Fcab™ and mAb² ™ platforms

LONDON, United Kingdom, March, 22, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE): InvoX Pharma Limited (“invoX”), a U.K.-based wholly-owned subsidiary of Sino Biopharmaceutical Limited (“Sino Biopharm”) (HKEX 1177 HK) with an advancing pipeline of innovative products, today announces that F-star, an invoX company, has entered into a second licence agreement with Takeda for a novel next-generation immuno-oncology bispecific antibody.

Under the terms of the licence agreement, F-star will grant Takeda a worldwide, exclusive royalty-bearing licence to research, develop, and commercialize a bispecific antibody directed towards an undisclosed immuno-oncology target using F-star’s proprietary Fcab™ and mAb² ™ platforms. Takeda will be responsible for all research, development and commercialisation activities under the agreement. F-star will receive an undisclosed upfront licence fee and is eligible to receive potential future development and commercialization milestone payments, plus royalties on annual net sales.

This licence agreement represents the second option that Takeda has exercised under an evaluation and licence agreement with F-star that was entered into in July 2021. F-star and Takeda entered into a licence agreement for a different bispecific antibody in July 2022.

Neil Brewis, Ph.D., Chief Executive Officer of F-star said: “This second licence agreement with Takeda provides further validation of the enormous potential of F-star’s mAb^{2 TM} platform to produce multiple next-generation bispecific antibody therapeutics. We look forward to our continued partnership with Takeda who share our vision of developing pioneering bispecifics in immunotherapy so more people with cancer can live longer and improved lives.”

“Takeda is committed to developing novel therapies that harness the innate immune system to fight cancer,” said Kathy Seidl, Ph.D., head of the Oncology Drug Discovery Unit at Takeda. “This second license agreement with F-star allows us to apply the mAb^{2 TM} platform to generate novel bispecific antibodies leveraging innate immune mechanisms to eliminate tumor cells creating value for the patients we serve.”