Abgenix acquires ImmGenics for $77 million

Going for more specific therapeutic antibodies

Abgenix Inc. (Fremont, CA) has completed its acquisition of privately-held ImmGenics Inc. (Vancouver, BC, Canada) for $77 million.

ImmGenics specializes in screening antibodies directly from antibody-producing B cells rather than from hybridoma cell lines, providing a much larger pool of candidates than would be available from traditional hybridoma technology. A larger candidate pool means more proteins to pick from, which gives a greater chance of identifying one or more with the right functional properties and highest affinities. Abgenix estimates that this higher level of protein diversity increases chances of success by anywhere from 100- to 1000-fold. In addition to providing greater antibody diversity, eliminating the hybridoma generation step will allow Abgenix to shorten product development timelines.

Immgenics antibody-generating technology will complement Abgenix's XenoMouse platform, pictured here, which generates fully-human antibodies from mice.

Abgenix focuses on antibody therapies for a variety of diseases. Its XenoMouse technology rapidly generates high affinity, fully human antibody product candidates to essentially any disease target appropriate for antibody therapy.

For a discussion of the antibody market, including Abgenix' XenoMouse technology, read It's a Mab, Mab, Mab, Mab World.

For more information: Abgenix Inc., 7601 Dumbarton Circle, Fremont, CA 94555. Tel: 510-608-6500. Fax: 510-608-6511.

Edited by Angelo DePalma
Managing Editor, Drug Discovery Online and Pharmaceutical Online
Email: adepalma@vertical.net