Ligand to receive US$2mn from WuXi Biologics for licensing antibody

Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated has announced that it will receive a US$2 million payment from WuXi Biologics subsequent to their licensing of exclusive rights to the anti-PD-1 antibody GLS-010 to Arcus Biosciences in North America, Europe, Japan and certain other territories. Ligand is also entitled to future milestones and royalties from this antibody.

WuXi Biologics was previously contracted by its Chinese partner Harbin Gloria Pharmaceuticals to discover and develop GLS-010 using Ligand’s OmniAb® technology, specifically the OmniRat® transgenic rat platform. GLS-010 is currently being evaluated in cancer patients in Phase 1 clinical studies in China. Arcus Biosciences is a privately held cancer immunotherapy company with headquarters in Hayward, Calif. Arcus plans to develop GLS-010 in combination with other immuno-oncology product candidates in its portfolio.

"OmniAb is a valuable and versatile technology platform and we are delighted with the continued progress being made by our licensees on a global basis," said John Higgins, Chief Executive Officer of Ligand. "This transaction illustrates how OmniAb generates payments to Ligand while products are in discovery and development, with potential future milestones and royalty payments as those products progress to market."