Roche inks $1.53B deal for Simcere’s B-cell-targeting antibody

Biotech Roche inks $1.53B deal for Simcere’s B-cell-targeting antibody By Marissa Russo Sep 1, 2026 10:41am Simcere Roche antibody drugs Licensing deals Roche is paying oncology-focused Simcere Zaiming $75 million upfront for global rights to a preclinical trispecific antibody targeting B-cell-mediated diseases. Under the deal, Roche will gain exclusive global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize the asset, SIM0660. Simcere Zaiming is eligible to receive up to $1.53 billion in total payments, including the upfront fee, as well as tiered royalties of up to double digits on future net sales, according to the release.

"This agreement with Simcere Zaiming reflects our commitment to partnering with innovative companies to advance and deliver new therapeutic options for patients in need. SIM0660 represents a potential advancement for patients with B-cell-mediated diseases," Boris L. Zaïtra, Roche head of corporate business development, said in the release.

SIM0660 is a preclinical trispecific antibody designed to target CD79a, CD19 and CD3. The molecule combines a CD3-engaging arm that binds to T cells with domains that target the B-cell antigens CD79a and CD19. The approach is designed to trigger T cell-mediated killing of target cells while limiting cytokine release, according to Simcere.

The dual targeting of CD79a and CD19 could give SIM0660 therapeutic potential across B-cell-mediated diseases, including in patients previously treated with CD20- or CD19-directed therapies. Simcere also sees potential for the antibody in B-cell-mediated autoimmune diseases. Simcere Zaiming was founded in 2023 as an oncology-focused subsidiary of Simcere Pharmaceutical Group, which dates back to 1995.

The Chinese biopharma previously partnered with G1 Therapeutics to sell Cosela, a therapy designed to reduce chemotherapy-induced bone marrow damage, in China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Simcere also markets the biliary tract cancer treatment Enweida in China. Simcere has also turned its pipeline into a steady source of biobucks.

The pharmaceutical group has now completed six out-licensing transactions worth a potential aggregate total of more than $6.1 billion, according to the company. Those deals included AbbVie’s $1.05 billion biobucks pact for Simcere’s phase 1 trispecific T-cell engager SIM0500, NextCure’s $745 million deal for ex-China rights to the phase 1-stage antibody-drug conjugate SIM0505 and Ipsen’s $1.06 billion pact for the preclinical ADC SIM0613. Then, in January 2026, Boehringer Ingelheim penned a 1.05 billion euro ($1.26 billion) biobucks deal for Simcere’s preclinical inflammatory bowel disease bispecific antibody SIM0709.

The deal handed Boehringer global rights outside Greater China. Simcere spinout Simnova has been busy, too. The cell therapy biotech said Aug.

31 that it had closed a nearly 400 million yuan series B financing to advance its off-the-shelf CAR-NK and in vivo CAR-T programs. Simnova spun out of Simcere in 2021 after being established in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 2019. The Simcere pact is Roche’s second sizable licensing deal in just over a week.

On Aug. 24, the Swiss pharma put down a $190 million upfront payment for a clinical-stage UCN2, or urocortin-2, analog from South Korea’s Hanmi Pharmaceutical. That deal is worth up to about $2.5 billion in total.

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