AbbVie and IGI Therapeutics SA, a wholly owned subsidiary of New York-based Ichnos Glenmark Innovation, Inc. (IGI), announced an exclusive licensing agreement for IGI’s lead investigational asset, ISB 2001.

ISB 2001 was developed using IGI’s proprietary BEAT protein platform for oncology and autoimmune diseases and is a first-in-class CD38xBCMAxCD3 trispecific antibody. It is a T-cell engager that targets BCMA and CD38 on myeloma cells and CD3 on T cells, currently in Phase 1 for relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma.

By leveraging a proprietary common light chain library and TCR interface-based heavy chain pairing, BEAT enables the development of next-generation immune cell engagers with strong therapeutic potential in oncology. BEAT mirrors the architecture of natural antibodies, using light and heavy chains to enhance stability and function. 

Per the agreement, AbbVie will receive exclusive rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize ISB 2001 across North America, Europe, Japan, and Greater China. 

Subject to regulatory clearance, IGI will receive an upfront payment of $700 million and is eligible to receive up to $1.225 billion in development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, along with tiered, double-digit royalties on net sales.

“Multispecifics including trispecific antibodies represent a new frontier in immuno-oncology with the potential to deliver deeper, more durable responses by engaging multiple targets simultaneously,” said Roopal Thakkar, M.D., executive vice president, research and development, and chief scientific officer, AbbVie.

“ISB 2001 exemplifies the potential of our BEAT protein platform to generate effective multispecifics that may overcome resistance and improve outcomes in hard-to-treat cancers,” said Cyril Konto, M.D., President and CEO of IGI.