Abilita Therapeutics and Orion Partner to Develop Advanced Antibody Treatments for Oncology and Pain

Abilita Therapeutics, Inc., a biotechnology company based in San Diego, has announced a strategic global partnership and licensing agreement with Finnish pharmaceutical giant, Orion Corporation. This collaboration aims to advance the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative antibody therapeutics targeting multi-span membrane proteins (MMPs) in oncology and pain management.

The collaboration will utilize Abilita's proprietary Enabled Membrane Proteins (EMP™) platform, which is renowned for tackling challenging MMP targets. Abilita will spearhead the discovery and lead optimization efforts. Meanwhile, Orion will have the exclusive option to license development candidates for each selected target, allowing them to continue with further development and commercialization processes.

Mauro Mileni, Ph.D., the founder and CEO of Abilita, expressed enthusiasm about the partnership, highlighting the strength of Abilita's EMP™ platform. He noted that the platform represents the most advanced approach to directed evolution and is designed to unlock difficult targets to create valuable therapeutics. This partnership with Orion, he believes, will expedite promising therapeutics into clinical stages, aligning with Abilita's broader strategy of advancing their pipeline.

Orion's Senior Vice President of Innovative Medicines and Research & Development, Outi Vaarala, also expressed optimism about the collaboration. She emphasized Orion's commitment to improving patient lives through innovative research and development. By gaining access to Abilita's cutting-edge EMP™ technology, Orion aims to explore new opportunities for developing groundbreaking therapies.

Under the terms of the agreement, Orion will have the option to license an undisclosed discovery program from Abilita. Additionally, Orion can nominate two further MMP targets under the same licensing arrangement. Orion will provide funding for all joint discovery efforts, and Abilita stands to earn up to $785 million in milestone payments for the three targets, along with royalties from any commercial sales.

Abilita Therapeutics is a forward-thinking biotechnology firm dedicated to discovering and developing therapeutics for the most challenging and medically significant MMPs. These proteins, which include GPCRs, ion channels, and transporters, are the focus of around 60% of today's medical treatments, underscoring their crucial role in healthcare. Abilita's robust drug discovery engine is built upon a foundation of its EMP™ target evolution platform and extensive expertise in membrane proteins, complemented by a suite of internal discovery technologies aimed at creating vital therapeutics for previously inaccessible targets. The company is backed by lead investor Two Bear Capital.

Orion Corporation, a well-established Finnish pharmaceutical company with a century-long history, operates globally in developing, manufacturing, and marketing human and veterinary pharmaceuticals, as well as active pharmaceutical ingredients. Orion's product portfolio includes both proprietary and generic medicines, along with consumer health products. The company focuses its pharmaceutical research and development efforts on oncology and pain, with its proprietary products being used to treat various conditions, including cancer, neurological, and respiratory diseases. In 2023, Orion reported net sales of EUR 1,190 million and employed about 3,600 people.

This collaboration between Abilita Therapeutics and Orion Corporation marks a significant step towards advancing therapeutic solutions in oncology and pain management, potentially leading to the development of groundbreaking treatments for these challenging medical fields.