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Highlights
Exelixis will apply Adagene’s SAFEbody platform to develop a masked antibody for an antibody-drug conjugate targeting solid tumors.
Adagene is eligible to receive development and commercialization milestone payments as well as royalties on net sales.
The SAFEbody platform enables tumor-specific targeting while minimizing potential safety issues in healthy tissues.
Adagene Inc. (Nasdaq:ADAG) announced an amendment to its existing collaboration and license agreement with Exelixis, originally signed in 2021. The updated agreement enables Exelixis to use Adagene’s proprietary SAFEbody technology platform to generate a masked monoclonal antibody from Adagene’s pipeline. The masked antibody will serve as the basis for developing an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) targeting an Exelixis-nominated solid tumor indication.
Through this collaboration, Exelixis gains access to Adagene’s proprietary precision masking technology, which is designed to improve the safety and tolerability profile of next-generation biologic therapies.
Financial Terms of the Amendment
Under the terms of the amended agreement, Adagene will be entitled to receive development and commercialization milestone payments, in addition to royalties on potential future net sales of products developed around the nominated target. While specific financial details were not disclosed, the structure reflects industry-standard collaboration agreements, incentivizing both near-term progress and long-term commercial success.
This arrangement builds on the initial framework established in 2021, further validating Adagene’s SAFEbody platform and its applicability across multiple therapeutic modalities.
SAFEbody Platform in Oncology
A major challenge in biologic cancer therapies is that many therapeutic targets are present not only on cancer cells but also at lower levels on healthy cells. When therapies bind to healthy tissues, safety and tolerability risks may arise.
Adagene’s SAFEbody platform is designed to address this issue by masking antibodies in their inactive state, preventing them from binding to healthy cells. Once in the tumor microenvironment, the antibody is selectively unmasked, enabling preferential binding to cancer cells. This approach allows for tumor-specific activity while limiting off-target toxicity.
The SAFEbody platform is part of Adagene’s broader Dynamic Precision Library (DPL), which also includes NEObody™ and POWERbody™ technologies.
About Adagene
Adagene Inc. (Nasdaq:ADAG) is a platform-driven, clinical-stage biotechnology company developing novel antibody-based cancer immunotherapies. The company leverages computational biology and artificial intelligence to design innovative antibody candidates that address unmet medical needs globally.
Adagene’s lead clinical program, ADG126 (muzastotug), is a masked, anti-CTLA-4 SAFEbody designed to target regulatory T cells in the tumor microenvironment. ADG126 is currently undergoing Phase 1b/2 clinical studies in combination with anti-PD-1 therapies, with a particular focus on microsatellite stable colorectal cancer (MSS CRC).
The company continues to expand its partnerships with global biopharmaceutical firms, highlighting the adaptability of its SAFEbody platform to various therapeutic approaches, including antibody-drug conjugates, Fc-empowered antibodies, and multispecific T-cell engagers.
