CytomX pens $1.6B Astellas biobucks pact for T-cell R&D

With $80 million upfront and up to $1.6 billion in biobucks, Astellas is still ramping up the biotech deals after ending 2019 on a buyout high.

Its latest deal sees it strike a modest upfront but meaty backloaded deal with CytomX and will dig into its so-called Probody drug platform, as well as its bispecific formats and CD3 modules. The plan is to unlock the potential of T-cell engaging bispecifics in the treatment of solid tumors.