Synaffix Announces License Agreement with Mersana Therapeutics for the Use of its GlycoConnect™ Site-Specific ADC Technology

AMSTERDAM–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Synaffix B.V. announced today it has entered into a license agreement
with Mersana Therapeutics, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical
company focused on discovering and developing a pipeline of antibody
drug conjugates (ADCs) targeting cancers in areas of high unmet need.
This agreement provides Mersana access to Synaffix’s industry-leading
site-specific GlycoConnect™ ADC technology that has consistently
demonstrated an ability to improve both the safety and the efficacy
profiles of ADC product candidates. Synaffix is eligible to receive
upfront and milestone payments on a per-target basis with a projected
total deal value of $295 million, plus royalties.

Under the terms of the agreement, Mersana has been granted a
non-exclusive license to incorporate GlycoConnect™ into one of its ADC
development candidates, as well as an option to expand to additional
programs. This agreement follows a research collaboration between the
two companies that was centered around multiple product candidates.

“After evaluating several site-specific conjugation platforms, we have
chosen Synaffix’s GlycoConnect™ technology for use in future ADC
candidates,” said Anna Protopapas, President and Chief Executive Officer
of Mersana. “We are excited about the potential of this technology as it
is designed not to require additional antibody engineering or cell-line
modifications, which would offer us the potential to create
site-specific antibodies for use in our ADCs when required.”

“We are particularly excited to enter into this agreement with a leading
company in the field of ADCs such as Mersana,” said Peter van de Sande,
CEO of Synaffix, who added “This collaboration is another testimony of
the additional value that GlycoConnect™ is able to provide to already
cutting-edge ADC technologies, thereby enabling novel medicines that are
uniquely positioned to address areas of unmet medical need.”

Per the agreement, Mersana is responsible for the research, development,
manufacturing and commercialization of any resulting ADC product while
Synaffix will supply components that are specifically related to its
proprietary GlycoConnect™ technology.

About GlycoConnect™

The proprietary GlycoConnect™ technology of Synaffix is a platform ADC
technology that utilizes proprietary enzymes and metal-free click
conjugation to stably attach ADC payloads specifically to the native
glycan of any antibody, a privileged site for ADC applications. This
approach can be applied directly to an existing antibody without any DNA
and or protein engineering and is compatible with all ADC payload
classes. The growing experience of Synaffix and its collaboration
partners continues to confirm the ability of GlycoConnect™ to
consistently generate ADCs that are more effective and better tolerated
when compared to the three major clinical-stage ADC conjugation
technologies.

About Synaffix B.V.

Synaffix B.V. is a Dutch biotechnology company that enables highly
competitive ADC product candidates using its site-specific ADC
technology platform. In addition to GlycoConnect™ and the ADC-enhancing
HydraSpace™ technology, the extension of the platform with toxSYN™
payloads provides a fully complimentary technology platform that enables
any company with an antibody to develop superior, proprietary ADC
products.

The Synaffix platform comes with an IND-ready CMC package to support
rapid timeline to clinic. Granted patents covering Synaffix’s
technology provide end-to-end protection of the platform technology as
well as resulting products through at least 2035. The business model of
Synaffix is target-specific technology out-licensing.

Synaffix is backed by a top tier, life science-focused investor
syndicate including Aravis, BioGeneration Ventures, BOM Capital and M
Ventures.

For more information, please visit the website at www.synaffix.com.

Contacts

Synaffix BV
Anthony DeBoer
Director, Business
Development
bd@synaffix.com

Thank you for donating to DutchNews.nl.

We could not provide the Dutch News service, and keep it free of charge, without the generous support of our readers. Your donations allow us to report on issues you tell us matter, and provide you with a summary of the most important Dutch news each day.

Make a donation