$2 million deal gives the company exclusive rights to GLS-010.

Ligand Pharmaceuticals, a San Diego based biopharmaceutical developer reported that WuXi Biologics has licensed the company’s anti-PD-1 antibody GLS-010, granting the company exclusive rights to the technology for $2 million. According to the press announcement, WuXi will subsequently license the antibody to Arcus Biosciences in North America, Europe, Japan and other regions. Ligand will be entitled to royalties from the antibody once future milestones are reached.

According to the announcement, WuXi previously contracted with Chinese partner Harbin Gloria to develop GLS-010 using Ligand’s OmniAb® technology, the OmniRat® transgenic rat platform. The OmniAb platform includes three transgenic animal platforms for producing mono- and bispesific human therapeutic antibodies.

“OmniAb is a valuable and versatile technology platform and we are delighted with the continued progress being made by our licensees on a global basis,” said John Higgins, Chief Executive Officer of Ligand. “This transaction illustrates how OmniAb generates payments to Ligand while products are in discovery and development, with potential future milestones and royalty payments as those products progress to market.”