Gilead and Tubulis Sign Exclusive License for ADC Development Against Select Solid Tumors

Gilead Sciences, Inc. and Tubulis have announced a new exclusive option and license agreement aimed at discovering and developing an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) to target solid tumors. This collaboration will allow Gilead to leverage Tubulis’ proprietary Tubutecan and Alco5 platforms. The focus of the partnership is to develop a Topoisomerase I inhibitor-based ADC candidate that offers enhanced biophysical characteristics and stability, aiming to improve current treatment limits such as durability and off-target toxicity.

Dr. Flavius Martin, Executive Vice President of Research at Gilead, commented on the importance of the agreement in expanding their oncology portfolio. He emphasized the need for novel technologies to advance their pipeline and highlighted the partnership's potential to enhance the therapeutic value of ADCs. Dominik Schumacher, CEO and co-founder of Tubulis, expressed his enthusiasm about collaborating with Gilead, recognizing their history of developing drugs that significantly enhance therapeutic value. Schumacher sees this partnership as an opportunity to leverage their technology platforms to make significant advancements in the ADC landscape.

Under the agreement's terms, Tubulis will receive an initial payment of $20 million and an additional option exercise fee of $30 million if Gilead chooses to proceed with the license. Moreover, Tubulis stands to gain up to $415 million in development and commercialization milestone payments, along with mid-single to low double-digit tiered royalties on the sales of any marketed products resulting from the collaboration. Tubulis will spearhead the early-stage research and development for the ADC program, while Gilead will take over further development and commercialization if they exercise their option to license the program.

The financial implications for Gilead include an expected reduction in their GAAP and non-GAAP 2024 EPS by approximately $0.01 due to the transaction with Tubulis.

Gilead Sciences, a biopharmaceutical company headquartered in Foster City, California, has a long history of medical breakthroughs aimed at creating a healthier world. Gilead is dedicated to developing innovative medicines to prevent and treat life-threatening diseases such as HIV, viral hepatitis, COVID-19, and cancer. The company operates in over 35 countries worldwide.

Tubulis specializes in generating uniquely matched antibody-drug conjugates that demonstrate durable on-tumor delivery and lasting anti-tumor activity in preclinical models. They are currently evaluating their first NaPi2b-targeting program, TUB-040, in clinical trials for ovarian and non-small cell lung cancer. Their second candidate, TUB-030, which targets 5T4, is expected to follow soon. Tubulis aims to continue innovating in ADC design to expand the therapeutic potential of this drug class for their pipeline, partners, and patients.