Zai Lab Limited (NASDAQ: ZLAB, HKG: 9688), a China-based biopharmaceutical company, has announced a strategic partnership and exclusive worldwide license agreement with MediLink Therapeutics, a specialist in antibody drug conjugates (ADCs) founded in 2020. The agreement pertains to MediLink’s YL212, a novel DLL3 ADC program, highlighting Zai Lab’s commitment to expanding its portfolio of potential first- and/or best-in-class ADCs.
Financial Terms and Global Responsibilities
Under the terms of the agreement, MediLink will receive upfront fees, development and sales-based milestone payments, tiered royalties on global annual net sales, and potential third-party sublicensing payments. Zai Lab will take on the responsibility for all development and commercialization activities related to YL212 on a global scale.
YL212: An Innovative DLL3 ADC for Cancer Treatment
YL212 is an innovative DLL3 ADC discovered using MediLink’s proprietary TAMLIN platform. DLL3, an inhibitor of the Notch ligand, is overexpressed in small cell lung cancer (SCLC) and neuroendocrine tumors, making YL212 a promising candidate for targeted cancer therapy. The preclinical profile of YL212 has been encouraging, and the teams at Zai Lab and MediLink will collaborate to advance the program into clinical studies.
Zai Lab’s Growing Portfolio of ADCs
In addition to YL212, Zai Lab obtained exclusive rights in Greater China to TIVDAK (tisotumab vedotin) last year. TIVDAK is the first and only tissue factor ADC approved for recurrent or metastatic cervical cancer patients with disease progression on or after chemotherapy. At the 2023 American Association of Cancer Research (AACR) Annual Meeting, the innovaTV 207 Phase 2 study reported encouraging efficacy results for TIVDAK in patients with recurrent or metastatic head and neck squamous cell cancer.-Fineline Info & Tech
