Biogen Exercises Option with Genentech for Rare Cancer Therapy

Biogen exercised its option to participate in the development and commercialization of mosunetuzumab, an experimental bispecific antibody in late-stage development for rare lymphomas.

As a part of the option exercise, Biogen will pay a $30 million one-time option fee to Genentech and will pay for a portion of the mosunetuzumab development expenses incurred during 2021. Biogen will have joint decision-making rights related to development and commercialization of mosunetuzumab and Genentech will continue to lead the strategy and implementation of the program.

Biogen will share in the operating profits and losses of mosunetuzumab in United States in the low to mid-30 percent range and is eligible to receive low single-digit royalties on sales outside the United States.

Mosunetuzumab is a CD20xCD3 T-cell engaging bispecific antibody in development for the treatment of people with B-cell non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma (NHL), including follicular lymphoma (FL) and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL). In June 2020, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted mosunetuzumab Breakthrough Therapy designation for the treatment of adult patients with the rare cancer relapsed/refractory follicular lymphoma who have received at least two prior systemic therapies.

Genentech plans to complete a Biologics License Application submission to the FDA in the near future for approval consideration from the GO29781 study investigating mosunetuzumab in patients with R/R FL. If approved, mosunetuzumab has the potential to be a first-in-class CD20xCD3 T-cell engaging bispecific antibody in NHL. Roche recently submitted the initial marketing authorization application for mosunetuzumab to the European Medicines Agency, with the hope to bring this drug as soon as possible to people with NHL. In addition, mosunetuzumab recently began a phase 1b trial in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Author: Rare Daily Staff