Therapeutic Update: Bispecific Antibodies and the Blood-Brain-Barrier

Therapeutic Update: Bispecific Antibodies

On the heels of data from Akeso and Summit’s PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody this summer, two deals were announced recently for PD-1/VEGF bispecifics, continuing the deal making within the bispecific space and giving some hope for the reemergence of an active immuno-oncology licensing and M&A market:

  • Germany-based BioNTech is buying Chinese biotech Biotheus for its PD-1/VEGF bispecific antibody known as PM8002, otherwise known as BNT327. BioNTech is paying $800M upfront and $150M in milestones.

  • Merck is also advancing “with speed and rigour” in a licensing deal with Chinese biotech LaNova Medicines to develop LM-299. This deal includes an upfront payment of $588M with LaNova eligible for further milestones of up to $2.7B.

Despite the recent buzz within the space, bispecifics are a well-established class of therapeutics. In our most recent installment of the Back Bay podcast with Pete Bak and Christian Thienel, we give our listeners a tour of the bispecific space, from the established players in hematology, to the state of play in solid tumors, to emerging approaches such as bispecific drug conjugates and trispecific technologies.


Frontiers in CNS Therapeutic Development - Breaching the Blood-Brain-Barrier  

Neurological disease is now among the world’s leading causes of disability and health burden. While many organizations are developing potentially transformative therapies to address these diseases, most drugs designed to treat neurological illness struggle to cross the brain’s protective barrier – known as the blood-brain barrier (BBB).

Various approaches are being explored to overcome this pharmacological challenge, including shuttle technologies, viral vectors, non-viral delivery particles, intranasal distribution, and devices for direct delivery to the CNS. 

  • Despite these hurdles in delivering drugs across the BBB, neurology is an active and growing area of drug development.

  • There are 900+ drug pharma and biotech companies advancing one or more assets to address CNS diseases.

  • The pipeline comprises close to 1,900 drugs in development, primarily by public companies.

  • Biopharma companies and investors have shown significant interest in BBB technologies, with 63 strategic transactions (licensing/acquisitions) over the past six years and USD2.5bn raised in total from venture financing between 2019 and 2023.

DNB//Back Bay analyzed the clinical development landscape, recent transactions, and financing activity to better understand which technologies are advancing to the clinic and gaining traction.