Seattle Genetics and Genentech have expanded their antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) collaboration. Genentech will pay an upfront fee of $12 million for rights to use Seattle Genetics’ ADC technology with additional antigens to be named by Genentech. ADCs are monoclonal antibodies that selectively deliver potent anti-cancer agents to tumor cells.

Genentech is responsible for research, preclinical and clinical development, manufacturing and commercialization of ADCs; Seattle Genetics is eligible to receive more than $900 million in fees and milestones if all ADCs in the expanded collaboration are commercialized, as well as royalties on worldwide sales. Seattle Genetics is also eligible to receive annual maintenance fees and research support payments.

“This expansion of our ADC collaboration with Genentech is another indication of the increasing value of our proprietary ADC technology,” said Eric L. Dobmeier, chief business officer of Seattle Genetics. “Our ongoing ADC collaboration with Genentech has resulted in multiple preclinical and clinical milestones, and we look forward to their continued progress with product candidates utilizing our ADC technology over the next several years.”

“We are pleased to continue our ADC collaboration with Seattle Genetics. We believe ADCs will play an important role in the future of cancer therapy. Genentech is committed to exploring the therapeutic potential of ADCs in a variety of hematologic malignancies and solid tumors,” said James Sabry, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, Genentech Partnering.