Harbour BioMed Partners with AstraZeneca to Develop Next-Gen Antibodies

Shanghai, CN, Cambridge, MA, Rotterdam, NL – March 21, 2025

Harbour BioMed, a global biopharmaceutical enterprise listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange, has announced a strategic partnership with AstraZeneca. This collaboration aims to advance the discovery and development of next-generation multi-specific antibodies, primarily targeting areas within immunology and oncology. The collaboration builds upon Harbour BioMed’s proprietary Harbour Mice® fully human antibody technology platform and involves a significant $105 million equity investment by AstraZeneca.

The agreement outlines that AstraZeneca will have the option to license two preclinical immunology programs. Furthermore, AstraZeneca will have the opportunity to identify additional targets for Harbour BioMed to develop into future multi-specific antibodies. This strategic partnership allows AstraZeneca to license these programs for clinical development advancement.

The collaboration's initial phase will concentrate on existing research programs, with the potential to expand into further projects. In exchange, Harbour BioMed will receive an upfront payment, near-term milestone payments, and option exercise fees for additional programs, amounting to $175 million. Moreover, the agreement outlines up to $4.4 billion in additional payments based on development and commercial milestones, as well as tiered royalties on future net sales. Both parties also have the option to incorporate additional programs into the collaboration over a five-year period, with the possibility of extending the agreement for another five years upon mutual agreement.

Additionally, AstraZeneca plans to acquire a 9.15% stake in newly issued shares of Harbour BioMed. To facilitate the joint efforts under this agreement, Harbour BioMed will establish an innovation center in Beijing, China, which will be co-located with AstraZeneca.

Dr. Jingsong Wang, the Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Harbour BioMed, expressed that this collaboration with AstraZeneca marks a pivotal advance in next-generation antibody therapeutics. He emphasized the collaboration as an opportunity to enhance Harbour BioMed’s standing as a leader in multi-specific biologics innovation. By combining Harbour BioMed’s discovery capabilities with AstraZeneca’s development expertise, he hopes to expedite the creation of transformative treatments for patients with significant unmet medical needs.

Harbour BioMed is a global biopharmaceutical company focused on the discovery, development, and commercialization of innovative antibody therapeutics, with a particular emphasis on immunology and oncology. The company is committed to building its portfolio through internal research and development, strategic collaborations, and selective acquisitions.

Harbour BioMed’s technology platform, Harbour Mice®, is designed to generate fully human monoclonal antibodies in both a two heavy and two light chains format (H2L2) and a heavy chain only format (HCAb). The HCAb-based immune cell engagers (HBICE®) technology is particularly noteworthy for its ability to deliver tumor-killing effects that traditional combination therapies cannot achieve. This innovative platform, which integrates Harbour Mice® with a single B cell cloning system, provides a unique and efficient method for developing next-generation therapeutic antibodies.

The collaboration between Harbour BioMed and AstraZeneca represents a significant commitment to advancing the field of antibody therapeutics, with the ultimate goal of delivering transformative therapies to address high unmet medical needs.