Genovis Enters Non-Exclusive License Agreement for EndoS2 Enzyme Technology for Antibody-Drug Conjugate (ADC) Development and Commercialization
Genovis AB announces that it has entered into a non-exclusive, worldwide license agreement with a US-based private biotech company, granting rights to use Genovis’ proprietary EndoS2 enzyme technology for the research, development, manufacture, and commercialization of antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapeutics.
Under the terms of the agreement, the licensee — a private biotech company incorporated in the United States with a development pipeline focused on ADC therapeutics — receives a non-exclusive worldwide license under Genovis’ patent portfolio covering the EndoS2 enzyme and its related methods of use. The license enables the licensee to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize ADC products across all therapeutic indications and covers multiple ADC programs.
The agreement entitles Genovis to an upfront access fee and milestone payments. Reflecting the licensee’s multi-program ADC development model, the agreement uses milestone-based payments triggered at defined development and commercial thresholds rather than running royalties. Designed to encompass multiple ADC programs, the agreement enables each program that successfully reaches commercialization to generate up to approximately USD 20 million in total payments to Genovis.
“This agreement is a strong validation of the utility of our EndoS2 enzyme technology in the rapidly expanding ADC field. Site-specific conjugation technologies are increasingly recognized as a key differentiator in next-generation ADC development, and we are proud to support a dedicated ADC-focused company as they advance their pipeline,” said Fredrik Olsson, CEO at Genovis.
EndoS2 is an IgG-specific endoglycosidase that selectively cleaves N-linked glycans from the Fc region of IgG antibodies, enabling precise, site-specific conjugation of payloads to create homogeneous ADCs with well-defined DAR (Drug-to-Antibody Ratios) — a critical quality attribute influencing both the safety and efficacy of ADC therapeutics. ADCs are one of the fastest-growing drug classes in oncology, with a robust global pipeline of clinical-stage programs and multiple products already approved.