Regeneron and Telix collaborate to advance biologics-based radiopharmaceuticals

Australian biotech Telix Pharmaceuticals and Regeneron Pharmaceuticals are partnering to jointly develop and commercialise next-generation radiopharmaceutical therapies.

Under the agreement, Telix receives $40 million upfront while Regeneron gains rights to Telix’s manufacturing platform for four initial radiopharmaceutical programmes.

Telix has the option to co-fund commercialisation and profit-share or earn up to $2.1 billion in milestone payments plus royalties.

Additionally, Regeneron will have the option to include four more programmes with additional upfront payments.

Regeneron is excited to enter the targeted radiopharmaceuticals space and explore the utility of these agents either as monotherapy or rationally combined with our immunotherapy platform, particularly in areas of high unmet patient need such as lung cancer, where our PD-1 inhibitor is a global standard of care”

Dr Israel Lowy, PhD, Senior Vice President, Clinical Development Unit Head, Oncology at Regeneron said: “Telix brings deep expertise in radiopharmaceutical development and infrastructure that complements Regeneron’s antibody technologies and oncology portfolio.

“Regeneron is excited to enter the targeted radiopharmaceuticals space and explore the utility of these agents either as monotherapy or rationally combined with our immunotherapy platform, particularly in areas of high unmet patient need such as lung cancer, where our PD-1 inhibitor is a global standard of care.”

In 2023, Telix opened a new €14.1 million radiopharmaceutical production facility in Belgium. As one of the largest radiopharmaceutical facilities in Europe, it features nine development laboratories, quality control labs, warehousing space, two cyclotrons and as well as GMP lines. For the latter, one line is used exclusively for industry partners and collaborators.

Christian Behrenbruch, Managing Director and Group CEO at Telix, said: “The collaboration with Regeneron reflects a highly complementary set of capabilities and a unique opportunity to explore what true ‘next gen’ biologics-based radiopharmaceuticals can potentially do for patients.

“We are well positioned to work toward the shared goal of advancing next generation precision radiopharmaceuticals for patients with hard-to-treat cancers.”

Regeneron recently attained a novel European approval for its biologic therapy Dupixent (dupilumab) developed alongside Sanofi for chronic spontaneous urticaria. It represents the first targeted medicine for children aged two to 11 years old in the EU with the skin disease.