Genzyme Molecular brews a MAb deal
Most companies that have wanted access to transgenic mouse technology to develop human monoclonal antibodies have gone directly to either Medarex Inc. or Abgenix Inc. Indeed, that is what Genzyme Molecular Oncology Inc. initially did when looking for a partner to develop human MAbs against its portfolio of tumor endothelial markers (TEMS). But GZMO says it found that both potential partners wanted at least 50/50 rights in the U.S., so the company instead hooked up with MEDX partner Kirin Brewing Co., which was willing to cede the U.S. market to the American company.
The KM mouse (Kirin Medarex mouse), a crossbreed of Kirin's transchromo mouse (TC mouse) and MEDX's huMAB mouse, is marketed in Asia by Kirin and elsewhere by MEDX. However, under their 2000 deal, Kirin can use the KM mouse technology in "in-house" collaborations with companies other than MEDX as long as Kirin participates in the early research, or retains a "substantial" amount of rights to the resulting products (see BioCentury, Jan. 17, 2000). ...