Roche pays $55 million upfront to Zymeworks for global rights to trispecific antibody ZW209 targeting small-cell lung cancer

Roche has agreed to pay Zymeworks an upfront sum of $55 million for worldwide rights to ZW209, a trispecific antibody being developed for small-cell lung cancer.

ZW209 is designed to bind DLL3 on tumor cells while also engaging CD3 and CD28 on T cells, a modification of Amgen’s approved bispecific drug Imdelltra, which targets DLL3 and CD3.

The agreement includes a $40 million payment when ZW209 moves into a phase 1b study, plus potential milestones up to $718 million and royalty payments.

Preclinical data presented by Zymeworks suggest the trispecific format may enhance T-cell activity and antitumor effects compared with existing bispecific approaches, though the program remains in early phase 1a testing.