Danish biotechnology company Genmab A/S (Nasdaq:GMAB) (CPH:GMAB) and German biotechnology company BioNTech SE (Nasdaq:BNTX) announced on Friday an expansion of their global strategic collaboration to develop and commercialize novel immunotherapies for the treatment of cancer patients.

Under the expanded collaboration Genmab and BioNTech will jointly research, develop and commercialize, subject to regulatory approval, monospecific antibody candidate GEN1053/BNT313 leveraging Genmab's proprietary HexaBody technology platform. The companies will equally share the development costs and potential future profit deriving from GEN1053/BNT313.

GEN1053/BNT313, is a CD27 antibody based on the HexaBody technology, specifically engineered to form an antibody hexamer (a formation of six antibodies) upon binding its target on the cell membrane of the T cells. It is expected to enter clinical trials by the end of 2022.

Currently the collaboration consists of two jointly developed investigational medicines in clinical testing fusing BioNTech's proprietary immunomodulatory antibodies and Genmab's DuoBody technology platform: GEN1046/BNT311 (DuoBody-PD-L1x4-1BB) is being evaluated in phase 1/2 clinical trials for the treatment of advanced solid tumours, and in a phase 2 study of patients with non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). GEN1042/BNT312 (DuoBody-CD40x4-1BB) is being evaluated for the treatment of patients with metastatic or locally advanced solid tumours in a phase 1/2 study.