WuXi XDC licenses ADC technology to Ona Therapeutics
The arrangement gives Ona Therapeutics access to WuXi XDC’s capabilities across ADC development and manufacturing as it advances the candidate towards clinical development.
CHINA—WuXi XDC Cayman has entered into an agreement with Ona Therapeutics to grant the biotechnology company an exclusive global license to its WuXiTecan 2 payload linker technology platform for the development of an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) candidate.
Under the agreement, Ona Therapeutics will use the platform to develop an ADC against a single undisclosed target.
The financial terms include an upfront payment to WuXi XDC, as well as additional payments linked to development, regulatory, and commercial milestones.
WuXi XDC will also receive tiered royalties based on net sales if the ADC reaches the market.
Support from development to manufacturing
In addition to licensing the technology, WuXi XDC will provide chemistry, manufacturing, and controls development services for the programme.
The company will also support manufacturing through its integrated ADC contract research, development, and manufacturing organisation platform.
The arrangement gives Ona Therapeutics access to WuXi XDC’s capabilities across ADC development and manufacturing as it advances the candidate towards clinical development.
The agreement marks the second collaboration between the two companies in the ADC field.
In 2024, Ona Therapeutics entered into a partnership with WuXi XDC to license additional technologies for its ADC pipeline.
Focus on targeted cancer therapies
WuXi XDC CEO Jimmy Li said the company was pleased to work with Ona Therapeutics again, highlighting the potential fit between the two companies’ capabilities.
According to Li, Ona Therapeutics’ focus on first in class targets and its expertise in identifying novel tumour targets complement WuXi XDC’s ADC technology platforms.
He also highlighted the WuXiTecan 2 platform’s hydrophilic linker, which is designed to improve ADC stability.
The platform has secured two out licensing agreements within six months, according to WuXi XDC.
Li said the latest agreement further demonstrates the potential applications of the WuXiTecan 2 platform and reflects WuXi XDC’s efforts to support biotechnology companies developing new therapies.
He added that WuXi XDC would use its integrated, end-to-end contract research, development, and manufacturing capabilities to support Ona Therapeutics as it advances the ADC candidate towards clinical development.
Ona Therapeutics is developing ADCs for cancers that have developed resistance to existing treatments.
Its discovery platform focuses on identifying tumor-specific antigens and epitopes that can be targeted with new therapeutic approaches.
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