AbbVie, Gilead, and ASK Pharm Secure New Cancer Drug Candidates in Year-End Deals

Major pharmaceutical companies AbbVie and Gilead Sciences, along with Chinese firm ASK Pharm, have closed out the year by acquiring rights to promising cancer drug candidates, signaling continued investment in oncology research and development.

AbbVie Targets DLL3-Expressing Cancers with $100 Million Deal

AbbVie has entered into an agreement with Zejing Biopharmaceutical for the option to license alveltamig (ZG006), a DLL3-targeting trispecific T-cell binder, outside of China. The deal includes a $100 million upfront payment, with potential for an additional $60 million if AbbVie exercises its option, and milestone payments that could reach $1.07 billion.

Alveltamig is currently in late-stage trials for small cell lung cancer and other DLL3-expressing malignancies. DLL3 is expressed in over 70% of small cell lung cancers, making it a promising target for new therapies. This move positions AbbVie alongside competitors such as Amgen, which already markets the DLL3-targeting therapy Imdelltra for SCLC.

Gilead Acquires Rights to Repare Therapeutics' Pol θ Inhibitor

In a separate deal, Gilead Sciences has secured rights to Repare Therapeutics' polymerase theta (Pol θ) ATPase inhibitor, RP-3467, for $25 million upfront. An additional $5 million is due upon completion of specified technology transfer activities.

RP-3467 is described as a highly potent, small molecule inhibitor of Pol θ, a synthetic lethality target associated with BRCA mutations and other genomic alterations. The therapy is currently being evaluated in a phase 1 study as both a monotherapy and in combination with AstraZeneca and Merck & Co.'s Lynparza for various solid tumors.

This transaction marks Repare's third significant portfolio deal in 2025, following licensing agreements with Debiopharm and DCx Biotherapeutics. The company is currently in the process of being acquired by nonprofit biotech XenoTherapeutics.

ASK Pharm Invests in Pan-RAS Inhibitor for Chinese Market

Chinese pharmaceutical company ASK Pharm has announced a 1.6 billion Chinese yuan ($230 million) deal for the China rights to Adlai Nortye's preclinical pan-RAS inhibitor AN9025. The agreement includes over $20 million in upfront and near-term milestone payments.

AN9025 is designed to target a broad spectrum of RAS mutations across various tumor types, with preclinical studies showing effective inhibition of RAS-mutant cancers. Adlai Nortye plans to launch a phase 1 trial in the first quarter of this year.

These deals underscore the pharmaceutical industry's continued focus on innovative cancer therapies, particularly those targeting specific genetic mutations and leveraging emerging technologies such as synthetic lethality. As companies seek to bolster their pipelines and expand global reach, strategic licensing agreements and collaborations remain key drivers of drug development in the oncology space.