AbbVie and I-Mab have signed a global collaboration agreement for the development and commercialization of lemzoparlimab (TJC4), an innovative anti-CD47 monoclonal antibody developed by I-Mab for the treatment of multiple cancers. The companies also have the potential to expand the collaboration to additional therapies.

AbbVie will pay I-Mab $180 million upfront, along with a $20 million milestone payment based on the Phase I results. I-Mab will be eligible to receive up to $1.74 billion in success-based milestone payments for lemzoparlimab, of which $840 million are based on clinical development and regulatory approval milestones, with the remainder based on commercial milestones. Upon commercialization of lemzoparlimab, AbbVie will also pay royalties on global sales outside of greater China.  

Lemzoparlimab is one of I-Mab’s leading drug and is designed to minimize inherent binding to normal red blood cells while preserving its strong anti-tumor activity, a critical attribute in potentially differentiating lemzoparlimab from other antibodies of the same class currently in development. Results of the recent Phase I trial confirm possible differentiation of lemzoparlimab in drug safety and a more favorable pharmacokinetics profile in cancer patients.

AbbVie has an exclusive global license, excluding China, to develop and commercialize lemzoparlimab. Both companies will collaborate to design and conduct further global clinical trials to evaluate lemzoparlimab in multiple cancers. I-Mab retains all rights to develop and to commercialize lemzoparlimab in China, Macau and Hong Kong. The collaboration also allows for potential collaboration on future CD47-related therapeutic agents.

The companies will share manufacturing responsibilities with AbbVie being the primary manufacturer for global supply. The collaboration will accelerate I-Mab’s establishment of commercial production operations in China.