RemeGen has landed a US$650m upfront from AbbVie after licensing development and commercial rights for its investigational bispecific antibody RC148 outside Greater China, while retaining rights for the territory. Announced on 12 January 2026, AbbVie will develop, manufacture and commercialise RC148 outside Greater China; RemeGen is eligible for further contingent payments tied to development and commercial milestones. RC148 is a PD‑1/VEGF bispecific in trials for advanced solid tumours, with early combination activity reported.
Deal terms and immediate effect On 12 January 2026, RemeGen and AbbVie announced an exclusive licensing agreement giving AbbVie rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise RC148 outside Greater China. RemeGen will keep development and commercial rights within Greater China and received a US$650m upfront; it is also eligible for further contingent payments tied to development and commercial milestones. The upfront provides RemeGen with significant cash without surrendering its home‑market franchise: AbbVie assumes global scale‑up and international regulatory responsibilities while RemeGen leads locally. What RC148 does RC148 is a PD‑1/VEGF bispecific antibody designed to block immune‑checkpoint signalling and angiogenesis simultaneously, aiming to enhance anti‑tumour immunity and improve the tumour micro‑environment. It is being tested as monotherapy and in combinations across advanced solid tumours, including non‑small cell lung cancer and colorectal cancer; early data show activity in combinations with antibody‑drug conjugates, per the companies. Strategic logic for RemeGen - Retains Greater China rights to lead local clinical development, regulatory filings and commercial launch. - Uses the US$650m to fund late‑stage trials, expand manufacturing for the Chinese market and build sales and distribution capability. - Outsourcing global development and manufacturing to AbbVie reduces operational and regulatory burden. AbbVie's position and pipeline fit AbbVie gains exclusive rights outside Greater China and plans to explore RC148 in combination with its investigational antibody‑drug conjugates, including telisotuzumab adizutecan (Temab‑A). Company leadership framed the deal as expanding options to pair checkpoint inhibition and anti‑angiogenic activity with targeted cytotoxic therapies. For AbbVie, the asset could deepen its oncology portfolio and use its global development capability to accelerate international trials.Related Articles
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The deal, announced on 12 January 2026, provides RemeGen with a US$650m upfront while leaving the company in charge of RC148’s development and commercialisation in Greater China and AbbVie responsible for international development and sales.
This article was created with AI assistance.
