Biointron and Merck Sign Agreement to Advance Antibody-Conjugated Lipid Delivery Solutions for Nucleic Acid Therapeutics

On September 4, Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (Biocytogen) announced that it has signed an antibody option evaluation agreement with Merck to advance the development of antibody-conjugated lipid delivery solutions for nucleic acid drugs, such as antibody-conjugated lipid nanoparticles (LNPs).

According to the terms of the agreement,BiocytogenWill provide fully human antibodies independently developed based on its RenMice® platform., which will be evaluated by Merck for its feasibility in antibody-conjugated LNP formulation services. Merck has been granted an exclusive option to obtain rights to selected antibody assets, and Biocytogen is entitled to receive corresponding fee payments, sales royalties, and sublicensing royalties.

Dr. Yuelei Shen, Chairman and CEO of Biocytogen"We are very pleased to partner with Merck again to explore the potential of antibody-conjugated lipid delivery systems. This collaboration not only highlights the diversity of our fully human antibody platform but also demonstrates the broad application prospects of fully human antibodies beyond traditional therapies. We hope that by combining Biocytogen's expertise in antibody discovery with Merck's deep experience in the LNP field, we can accelerate the development of next-generation nucleic acid delivery solutions."

Dr. Kahina Lang, Executive Director of Merck KGaA and Head of Drug Delivery Innovation"This collaboration will strengthen Merck's leading position in the field of LNP-based delivery solutions. By integrating our technological innovations in antibody-conjugated LNPs, we will be able to further enhance the precision of targeted delivery systems. Our customers will gain access to a broader and more diverse range of delivery services and solutions."

Since 2025, Biocytogen has reached new cooperation agreements or achieved new progress in cooperation with multiple biopharmaceutical enterprises.

In August, BiocytogenMegaRobo TechnologiesBy signing the strategic cooperation agreement, both parties will focus on the digital and intelligent upgrading of full-human antibody R&D and production. Through the integration of advantageous resources, they will cooperate in key areas such as smart automation construction and improvement of R&D efficiency, jointly building a highly efficient, data-driven, and large-scale R&D and production system.

July,Biocytogen Announces Collaboration withBeiGeneReach a global licensing agreement for antibody molecules.BeiGene has previously obtained the authorization to use Biocytogen's RenMice® fully human antibody platform. Based on the established strong cooperation, both parties have further expanded their collaboration into the field of antibody molecule licensing, marking the continuous deepening of their partnership.

In June, BiocytogenZhengda TianqingJointly announced that the NTB003 (formerly coded as BCG009) injection, co-developed by both parties, has received the "Drug Clinical Trial Approval Notice" issued by the National Medical Products Administration, with the indication for Thyroid Eye Disease (TED).