AbbVie has secured exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize RC148 outside Greater China under a licensing agreement with RemeGen. RemeGen will retain rights within Greater China. The deal includes a $650 million upfront payment and up to $4.95 billion in potential development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments, plus tiered, double-digit royalties on net sales outside Greater China.
RC148 is a bispecific antibody designed to simultaneously block programmed cell death‑1 (PD‑1) and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) pathways. It is being evaluated for the treatment of multiple advanced solid tumors, including specific types of lung cancer. PD‑1 and VEGF play key roles in tumor growth and immune evasion.
AbbVie said early clinical studies of RC148 have shown initial favorable antitumor activity in combination with chemotherapy and with an antibody‑drug conjugate (ADC). The company noted that PD‑1/VEGF‑targeted bispecific antibodies aim to enhance immune responses, overcome resistance mechanisms and create a tumor microenvironment more favorable to ADC activity.
The agreement bolsters AbbVie’s oncology portfolio, particularly for combination therapies, and could complement its investigational ADCs, including telisotuzumab adizutecan (Temab‑A), in addressing high unmet needs in solid tumors such as non‑small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer.
RemeGen CEO Jianmin Fang described the collaboration as a significant milestone that showcases RC148’s potential to address critical unmet needs in cancer treatment and said the partnership will help maximize the candidate’s clinical and commercial prospects in China and globally.
AbbVie said it will not disclose further development plans beyond the press release at this time and expects to provide updates later this year.
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