Boehringer bolsters ADC biz with $1.3bn Synaffix deal

Under the terms of the agreement, Boehringer’s ADC arm NBE Therapeutics (acquired for €1.18 billion ($1.20 billion) in 2020) will use Synaffix’s GlycoConnect, HydraSpace, and toxSYN technologies for an undisclosed number of targets. The first target was nominated upon signature, the firm said, while additional targets will be nominated within a predefined timeframe. Along with an upfront payment, Synaffix will receive a milestone payment of $1.3 billion.
“We are building a broad pipeline of ADCs addressing the novel tumor target space to develop next-generation cancer treatments,” said Lamine Mbow, global head of discovery research, Boehringer Ingelheim. 

“By combining our expertise in cancer treatment development with Synaffix’s clinical-stage platform technology, we aim to accelerate the delivery of cancer treatments to improve cancer patient outcomes.” 

Synaffix’s clinically validated ADC platform uses an enzymatic modification of native glycan anchor points on antibodies, to develop ADCs or bispecifics. According to the firm, its GlycoConnect design easily matches payload potency with drug-antibody ratio (DAR), while HydraSpace differentiates between efficacy and tolerability, and toxSYN linker-payloads provide multiple options in tumor biology. 

Synaffix CEO Peter van de Sande branded the agreement as “the culmination of a successful preclinical evaluation of the technology.” Dutch firm Synaffix was acquired by contract development and manufacturing organization (CDMO) Lonza for €100 million ($107 million) in June 2023.
In October, PPF group’s clinical-stage immuno-oncology company Sotio partnered with the firm for the platform to develop up to three products targeting tumor-associated antigens. Recently, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation, the pharmaceutical division of Mitsubishi Chemical Group, also gained access to the platform for a single ADC program.