Takeda and F-star Therapeutics have entered a strategic collaboration and license agreement to develop next-generation multi-specific immunotherapies for cancer, with a potential value of as much as $1 billion.
 
The two companies will jointly research and develop antibodies for new immuno-oncology targets leveraging F-star’s fully-human Fcab and tetravalent mAb2 platforms.
 
Takeda will then have an exclusive option to select candidates for further development, with F-star retaining the rights to research, develop, and commercialize antibodies incorporating certain other Fcab domains.
 
F-star will receive an undisclosed upfront payment and research funding and will be eligible to receive future payments of as much as $1 billion if all milestones across multiple programs are achieved, plus royalties.
 
Takeda and F-star also have license agreements for a first and second immune-oncology bispecific antibody previously announced in July 2022 and March 2023, respectively.
 
Kathy Seidl, head of the oncology drug discovery unit at Takeda, said, “Since engaging with F-star in 2022 to develop novel bispecific antibodies and expanding that agreement earlier this year, we continue to make great progress across our collaboration, which speaks to the advantages of their proprietary Fcab discovery platform enabling unique tetravalent mAb2 bispecific programs.