Selexis SA, a provider of mammalian cell line generation technology, has signed four commercial license agreements (CLAs) with Xencor, Inc., a clinical-stage biopharma company developing engineered antibodies for the treatment of autoimmune diseases, asthma and allergies, and cancer. The CLAs extend the companies’ previous agreement through which Selexis is providing Xencor with access to its SUREtechnology Platform, as well as cell line development-related services that include personnel, laboratory equipment and laboratory space.
 
“The execution of these four CLAs represents a very important milestone in the continuum of the strategic agreement we signed with Xencor in 2016 in that it provides a means for Selexis to continue to help Xencor as Xencor advances its clinical candidates towards commercialization,” said Dr. Yemi Onakunle, Selexis vice president, licensing and business development. “This deepening relationship is a testament to the ability of our robust and predictable cell line platform to rapidly and reliably establish production-ready cell lines to advance Xencor’s pipeline of bispecific antibodies. We are excited by the opportunity to continue to grow with their business and witness the power of our synergistic technologies.”
 
The strategic relationship between Selexis and Xencor began with a service agreement in 2011. In 2016, the companies entered a new agreement through which Selexis scientists are collaborating with Xencor scientists and project leaders on selected multi-specific antibody gene expression and cell line development programs.
 
“Speed, reliability and flexibility are critical factors that we consider when seeking a partner to help us advance our programs,” said Dr. Edgardo Baracchini, chief business officer, Xencor. “Our relationship with Selexis has been very successful to date, so the decision to continue our work with the team was simple. Overall, the use of Selexis’ technologies and services significantly reduces the time, effort, and costs associated with developing high-performance cell lines. Their technology allows us to focus on leveraging the ‘plug-and-play’ nature of our bispecific antibody platform to deliver new treatment options to patients facing life-threatening diseases.”