BioCentury
ARTICLE | Company News

Anaphore, arGEN-X B.V. deal

October 8, 2012 7:00 AM UTC

Anaphore changed its name to RuiYi Inc. and announced a deal for exclusive, worldwide rights to a preclinical anti-IL-6 mAb from arGEN-X. RuiYi said the moves are part of the company's shift in strategy to discover and develop biologics in China, including mAbs that target GPCRs. The shift follows Anaphore's stock acquisition of RuiYi Biotechnology Inc. earlier this year. Anaphore was focused on developing Atrimers, drug candidates engineered from the human serum protein tetranectin (see BioCentury, March 26).

arGEN-X will receive an undisclosed upfront payment consisting of cash and equity. The Dutch company is also eligible to receive milestones, plus royalties. The mAb - ARGX-109 - is in development for inflammation and cancer indications. RuiYi plans to initially develop the product in China. ...