AbbVie Expands Collaboration with Calibr to Advance Clinical Assets

AbbVie and Calibr announced an expanded strategic collaboration to continue to advance several innovative preclinical and early-stage clinical assets on July 26, 2023. The partnership is an extension of the collaboration from AbbVie and Scripps Research that was formed in 2019, according to the press release.

"We've made significant progress to advance rapidly many preclinical and clinical development programs across small molecule, biologics and CAR-T modalities," said Thomas Hudson, MD, senior vice president, research and development, chief scientific officer, AbbVie, in a press release. "Working together with Calibr, AbbVie is excited to explore and further develop the potential of novel technologies and new clinical indications to bring breakthrough medicines to patients."

Further, Calibr will present AbbVie with a certain number of new discovery targets and preclinical assets of mutual interest for option considerations, according to the press release.

"AbbVie has been a trusted partner to Scripps Research for many years, as proven by our successful ongoing R&D collaborations spanning numerous disease areas that have yielded four clinical stage programs," said Peter Schultz, PhD, president and chief executive officer of Scripps Research and Calibr, in a press release. "This expansion represents an important step forward in our mission of translating scientific insights and discoveries into innovative, clinically validated drugs, and we believe it is a model for biomedical industry-nonprofit R&D partnerships."

AbbVie plans to provide Calibr with research option payments over the course of five years to obtain a first-exclusive option to develop and commercialize candidates from independent preclinical research conducted by Calibr. In addition, Calibr is able to receive additional payments from AbbVie, such as option exercise fees, success-based development and commercial milestone payments.

Source: AbbVie