Astellas, Regeneron Extend Antibody Tech Pact

Astellas has extended its non-exclusive license agreement through 2023 to use Regeneron’s VelocImmune technology for its research programs to discover fully human monoclonal antibody product candidates. Astellas will pay $165 million upfront and another $130 million in June 2018, unless Astellas terminates the agreement prior to that date. Astellas will pay Regeneron a royalty on product sales for any antibody products discovered using VelocImmune.

The original agreement dates back to March 2007, when the two companies entered into a six-year VelocImmune license agreement under which Astellas paid $20 million per year through 2010. Astellas will no longer make annual license payments in 2011 and 2012. Approximately 20 monoclonal antibody projects using VelocImmune technology are ongoing at Astellas and Agensys, Inc., a U.S. affiliate of Astellas.