Pfizer and Innovent Biologics have officially signed a global licensing and strategic collaboration agreement worth up to $10.5 billion to co-develop a robust portfolio of next-generation cancer therapies.

The landmark oncology alliance encompasses 12 early-stage programs, focusing heavily on antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) featuring novel toxic payloads and multi-specific antibodies.

The partnership includes licensing, co-development, and co-commercialization opportunities across a diverse portfolio of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) with novel differentiated payloads and multi-specific antibodies with differentiated immune-engaging features and unique designs.

The strategic collaboration brings together Pfizer’s deep scientific expertise, global clinical development capabilities, regulatory leadership and commercial scale with Innovent’s scientific discovery and clinical capabilities in oncology innovation, which are highly complementary to each company’s core areas of interest.

The agreement spans a portfolio of 12 programs comprising eight Innovent-originated early-stage programs and four Pfizer-proposed discovery programs. The companies will co-develop and share costs for select programs as they advance these programs through clinical development.

“At Pfizer, everything we do starts with patients and the urgency to change what’s possible for people living with cancer,” said Jeff Legos, Chief Oncology Officer, Pfizer.

“This collaboration brings together two highly complementary engines of innovation with a shared ambition to move faster, go further and deliver truly transformative medicines to patients who are waiting. By combining Innovent’s discovery and early clinical development with Pfizer’s global research and development and commercialization capabilities, we have an opportunity not only to strengthen our pipeline, but to accelerate the delivery of breakthroughs that can redefine standards of care and make a meaningful difference in patients’ lives.”

“This agreement brings together best-in-industry expertise of Pfizer and Innovent to advance novel cancer medicines to patients at a global scale,” said Dr. Hui Zhou, Chief R&D Officer (Oncology Pipeline) of Innovent.

“By leveraging both companies' complementary resources, we can develop our early-stage oncology pipeline with greater speed and impact to help bring innovative therapies to patients more efficiently worldwide. Furthermore, co-developing and co-commercializing key projects in the U.S. and Europe expands Innovent’s global reach. At Innovent, we are laying the foundation for a truly global oncology platform that can deliver meaningful and lasting benefits for patients around the world.”

Under the financial terms of the agreement, Innovent will receive a $650 million upfront payment and is eligible for up to $9.85 billion in development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments. Additionally, Innovent will receive up to double-digit royalties on sales of each licensed product if approved. For the ‘co-developed, co-commercialized’ programs, the two companies will share the profits in the U.S. and Europe.

The transaction is expected to close in the third quarter subject to fulfillment of required regulatory approvals.