MediLink Therapeutics has entered into a worldwide collaboration and license agreement with Roche for the development of a next-generation antibody-drug conjugate candidate YL211, targeting c-Mesenchymal epithelial transition factor (c-Met) against solid tumors.
 
MediLink will grant Roche exclusive global rights for the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of MediLink’s ADC asset, YL211. MediLink will work with Roche’s R&D unit China Innovation Center of Roche (CICoR) to initiate the Phase I clinical trial of YL211 and Roche will then take over the further development and commercialization globally. MediLink will receive upfront and near-term milestone payments totaling $50 million and, together with additional development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments potentially reaching a total deal value nearing $1 billion, as well as tiered royalties on future global annual net sales.
 
YL211 is an antibody-drug conjugate specifically targeting c-Mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-Met), which belongs to the receptor tyrosine kinase (RTK) family. c-Met is closely associated with tumor formation, aggressive growth, and metastasis, making it a critical target for treating epithelial-mesenchymal transition. YL211, currently at IND stage, utilizes MediLink’s TMALIN ADC platform technology, along with a highly specific c-Met antibody. It has demonstrated promising efficacy in various preclinical tumor models.