Dac Biotechnology and Janssen Enter into Collaboration and License Agreement for Up to Five Novel ADCs

On June 1, DAC Biotech announced a collaboration and licensing agreement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson. According to the agreement, DAC Biotech will utilize its proprietary ADC innovation platform in conjunction with unique antibodies provided by Janssen to jointly develop novel ADC drugs targeting up to five indications. Johnson & Johnson Innovation assisted in facilitating this collaboration agreement, and JJDC, an investment arm under Johnson & Johnson Innovation, has also made an equity investment in DAC Biotech.

DAC Biotech, established in 2012, has built a comprehensive ADC technology platform and owns 16 ADC drugs at various stages. The company’s proprietary ADC drug platform covers: in terms of linker technology, around 50 novel intelligent linkers (including site-specific conjugation); in terms of small-molecule cytotoxic compounds, five major categories with over 100 molecules, including microtubule inhibitors (Tubulysin), DNA minor groove binders (PBD), DNA alkylating agents (Duocarmycin), RNA polymerase inhibitors (Amanitin), and topoisomerase inhibitors (CPT).

Currently, DAC Biotech has filed for the new HER2 ADC drug DX126-262, the new Trop2 ADC drug DAC-002, the new MUC1 ADC drug DAC-005, as well as DXC004 and DXC007 with undisclosed targets. Among them, the rights to Trop2 ADC in Asia excluding Japan and South Korea were licensed to Junshi Biosciences for 300 million yuan.