GSK Acquires Chimagen's CD19/CD20/CD3 Trispecific Antibody CMG1A46 for $850 Million to Advance Autoimmune Disease Pipeline
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On October 29, 2024, GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE/NYSE: GSK) and Chimagen Biosciences (Chimagen) announced an agreement under which GSK will acquire CMG1A46, a clinical-stage bispecific CD19 and CD20 T cell engager (TCE), from Chimagen for a $300 million upfront payment. GSK plans to develop and commercialize CMG1A46, focusing on B-cell-driven autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis (LN), with the potential to expand into related autoimmune conditions.
GSK Chief Scientific Officer Tony Wood stated:"Through our research in systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis, weIncreasingly understanding the underlying drivers of B-cell driven diseases. CMG1A46"It is a novel treatment option for profound B-cell depletion, with exciting potential, and we are thrilled to harness it to address unmet needs in lupus and related autoimmune diseases."
CD20 is an established target for treating autoimmune diseases, and a growing body of clinical evidence suggests that CD19, present in a broader range of B cell types, holds promise as a differentiated therapeutic approach. In preclinical studies, CMG1A46, designed to target both CD19 and CD20, has demonstrated rapid and profound B cell depletion in blood and tissues, which may lead to more durable responses in patients.
Chimagen Biosciences CEO Zhenhao Zhou stated:"CMG1A46 has the potential to improve the lives of patients with autoimmune diseases, and we are thrilled and deeply grateful to GSK for accelerating the realization of this vision. This agreement further validates our proprietary T-cell engager platform, and we are eager to continue our mission of developing novel multispecific antibody therapies."
CMG1A46 is currently in Phase I clinical trials in the United States and China for leukemia and lymphoma. GSK plans to initiate Phase I clinical trials for lupus in 2025.
Under the terms of the agreement, GSK will pay $300 million upfront for full global rights to CMG1A46. Additionally, Chimagen will be eligible for development and commercial milestone payments for CMG1A46, totaling $550 million.
This agreement is subject to customary conditions, including the receipt of applicable regulatory approvals under the U.S. Hart-Scott-Rodino Act.
CMG1A46 is a bispecific CD19 and CD20-targeted T cell engager (TCE), an IgG-like molecule with high affinity for CD19 and CD20 positive B cells and low affinity for CD3, which can reduce the toxicity commonly associated with TCEs.
On December 29, 2021, Bright Biology and Chimagen Biosciences jointly announced that the clinical trial application for BR110 (CMG1A46), a CD3/CD19/CD20 trispecific antibody, was approved today by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA). This is the world's first anti-CD3/CD19/CD20 tri-specific antibody product to enter clinical trials, with Bright Biology holding the rights in Greater China.
