ProBioGen Achieves Merus Milestone

ProBioGen AG has achieved an undisclosed milestone payment from Merus N.V. based on Merus’ use of MCLA-158, a bispecific antibody using the GlymaxX antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity (ADCC)-enhancing technology in its Phase I trial. The trial in patients with solid tumors will initially focus on metastatic colorectal cancer. MCLA-158 uses ProBioGen’s GlymaxX technology for greater cell-killing potential. GlymaxX is a stable modification, applicable to any producer cell, leading them to produce antibodies without the sugar fucose. GlymaxX-modified afucosylated antibodies recruit and activate immune effector cells more effectively with a much higher tumor cell killing activity, potentially requiring much lower doses with less side effects.
 
Merus and ProBioGen entered an agreement in 2016 for the use of the GlymaxX ADCC enhancement technology in MCLA-158. Under the terms, Merus obtained non-exclusive rights to use the GlymaxX technology for Merus’ Bioclonics pipeline of bispecific antibodies designed to treat various forms of cancer to enhance their ADCC activity.