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Human Genome Sciences Inc. exclusively licensed rights from Abgenix Inc. to develop a fully human monoclonal antibody to the CCR5 receptor, for which Abgenix earns an undisclosed milestone payment.

The licensing goes back to the deal the companies signed in 1999. At the time, the deal gave HGS, of Rockville, Md., the right to use Fremont, Calif.-based Abgenix's XenoMouse technology to generate fully human antibody products from HGS's collection of antigens. HGS was able to develop antibody drug candidates that resulted from the work and Abgenix had the option to develop antibodies it derived from certain HGS antigens.

HGS Chairman and CEO Willliam Haseltine said "we've modified it slightly," in reference to the deal (it was amended in 2001), though it remains similar today.

"We have a longstanding agreement with Abgenix, which provides us with access to its technology for developing a number of drugs to our proprietary targets," Haseltine told BioWorld Today. "In return, they have access to several of our proprietary targets for development of their own drugs."

CCR5 is a human chemokine receptor thought to be associated with HIV infection. The monoclonal antibody, CCR5 MAb, is designed to block the CCR5 receptor and by doing so prevent HIV from entering cells. Through the agreement, the "Abgenix technology is licensed exclusively to HGS for making the CCR5 antibody," Haseltine said.

HGS generated the CCR5 MAb at its own facilities. It is the first Abgenix antibody that HGS has decided to move forward - its LymphoStat-B product for lupus, TRAIL-R2 MAb for cancer and ABthrax for anthrax infection, for example, were all developed using technology from Cambridge Antibody Technology Group plc, of Cambridge, UK, Haseltine said. HGS also develops antibodies using phage display technology from Dyax Corp., of Cambridge, Mass., through a deal signed in March 2000. (See BioWorld Today, Aug. 11, 1999, and March 22, 2000.)

There were no up-front payments in the deal between Abgenix and HGS, but milestone payments that could go both ways. Abgenix receives one in this case.

"Abgenix's technology is licensed exclusively to us for this target," Haseltine said. "For that exclusivity, we pay them a fee." He added that it is the first milestone payment made under the collaboration.

Separately, Human Genome Sciences updated its pipeline at its annual analyst and investor meeting in New York. As Haseltine put it, HGS "intends to move our current pipeline forward."

The company has identified three products it "could file [investigational new drug applications] on in the next six to eight months," he said. Those are the CCR5 MAb, the TRAIL Receptor-2 monoclonal antibody aimed at cancer and Albugon, a long-acting form of GLP-1 designed to treat Type II diabetes.

Also, Haseltine said, the company expects to submit an IND for ABthrax in the next few months. Its clinical pipeline consists of repifermin for chronic venous ulcers and cancer therapy-induced mucositis, BLyS for common variable immunodeficiency and immunoglobulin-A deficiency, LymphoRad 131 for cancer, TRAIL-R1 MAb for cancer, LymphoStat-B for lupus and rheumatoid arthritis, Albutropin for growth hormone deficiency, Albuferon-alpha for hepatitis C and cancer and Albuleukin for cancer.

And with $1.4 billion in cash and equivalents, HGS has the funds to drive the pipeline. It said it has the financial means to cover expenses for the next "several years."

HGS's stock (NASDAQ:HGSI) gained $1.17 Monday to close at $13.40. Abgenix (NASDAQ:ABGX) gained 61 cents to close at $10.97.