Celldex Therapeutics has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Kolltan Pharmaceuticals, a clinical-stage company focused on the discovery and development of antibody-based drugs targeting receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs), primarily in oncology.

Clinical data has shown that Kolltan’s drug candidates can help overcome tumor resistance mechanisms associated with current tyrosine kinase inhibitors. Celldex believes Kolltan’s drug candidates and preclinical platform are compatible with the company’s scientific approach and can be developed independently and in combination with Celldex’s existing product candidates.

Anthony Marucci, Co-founder, president and chief executive officer of Celldex Therapeutics, said, “The acquisition of Kolltan provides Celldex with a truly unique platform of antibodies targeting receptor tyrosine kinases which we believe are highly compatible with our pipeline. We believe this acquisition complements our leadership position in immuno-oncology and enhances our ability to develop targeted therapeutic regimens to dramatically improve patient outcomes.”

“Kolltan’s programs targeting KIT, ErbB3 and TAM receptors potentially address major challenges surrounding tumor resistance mechanisms in cancer biology,” said Gerald McMahon, Ph.D., president and chief executive officer of Kolltan Pharmaceuticals. “Celldex’s leadership and their scientific team played an instrumental role in building the antibody field during their tenure at Medarex and used this expertise to create a leading pipeline in immuno-oncology at Celldex. We believe Celldex is uniquely positioned to advance our antibody portfolio targeting RTKs to improve outcomes for patients.”