Novartis dumps 2nd bispecific from $2.6B Xencor pact, dealing further blow to hopes for blood cancer target

Novartis has hacked off another piece of its $2.6 billion deal with Xencor, terminating its rights to a CD123xCD3 blood cancer bispecific that had a troubled time in early clinical development.

Xencor granted Novartis ex-U.S. rights to CD123xCD3 candidate vibecotamab and a second bispecific antibody back in 2016. Novartis dumped the other drug candidate, XmAb13676, in 2019, but it stuck by vibecotamab as Xencor battled through a partial clinical hold triggered by two patient deaths that were considered at least possibly related to the bispecific and went on to post phase 1 data.