AbbVie Partners with Simcere on T-Cell Engager for Multiple Myeloma in $1B Deal
AbbVie has partnered with Simcere Zaiming, a subsidiary of Simcere Pharmaceutical, to advance a trispecific antibody candidate, SIM0500, for relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma—a blood cancer that arises from malignant plasma cells in the bone marrow, which can lead to weakened immunity, anemia, bone damage, and kidney dysfunction. The deal includes an undisclosed upfront payment, with Simcere eligible for up to $1.05 billion in milestone payments, as well as tiered royalties on sales outside Greater China.
SIM0500, currently in Phase 1 clinical trials in the U.S. and China, uses Simcere’s proprietary T-cell engager platform. It targets GPRC5D, BCMA, and CD3, leveraging a low-affinity/high-activation CD3 engaging arm and binding sites for two tumor antigens. Preclinical studies demonstrated its ability to elicit strong T-cell-mediated cytotoxicity against multiple myeloma cells.
Mariana Cota Stirner, vice president and therapeutic area head for hematology at AbbVie, emphasized the importance of the collaboration:
“As a leader in hematologic malignancies, AbbVie is committed to advancing innovative treatments for complex cancers like multiple myeloma through our relentless R&D efforts and collaborations. We look forward to partnering with Simcere Zaiming to advance this novel trispecific antibody, which has the potential to help address significant unmet medical needs for people living with multiple myeloma.”
This agreement builds on AbbVie’s growing interest in T-cell engagers. In October, the company licensed multispecific biologics from EvolveImmune for $65 million upfront, with additional milestone payments of up to $1.4 billion.
Cover: Scanning electron micrograph of a human T lymphocyte (also called a T cell) from the immune system of a healthy donor. Credit: NIAID
Topics: Novel Therapeutics
