ENHANZE® will be used for up to three targets.
argenx has entered into a license agreement to gain access to Halozyme’s ENHANZE® subcutaneous drug delivery technology. The company will pay (https://www.halozyme.com/investors/news-releases/news-release-details/2019/argenx-and-Halozyme-Enter-Global-Collaboration-and-License-Agreement-for-ENHANZE-Technology/default.aspx) Halozyme Therapeutics $30 million upfront. argenx will also be responsible for paying $10 million per target for future target nominations and up to $160 million in potential future milestone payments per selected target, plus mid-single-digit royalties on sales of commercialized products.
The global collaboration and license agreement pertains to products targeting the human neonatal Fc receptor FcRn, including argenx's lead asset efgartigimod (ARGX-113) and up to two additional targets. argenx hopes the tech will allow it to shorten drug administration times, which will in turn reduce healthcare practitioner time and offer additional flexibility and convenience for patients.
The ENHANZE® technology is based on Haloyme’s patented recombinant human hyaluronidase (rHuPH20) enzyme, which has been shown to remove traditional limitations on the volume of biologics that can be delivered just under the skin. argenx, meanwhile, has developed the SIMPLE Antibody™ Platform (based on the llama immune system) and has three complementary Fc engineering technologies designed to expand the therapeutic index of its product candidates.
