Hertz Pharmaceutical (HealZen Therapeutics) has entered into a global partnership with a US-based biotech for the development of a degrader-antibody conjugate (DAC), marking the first such licensing deal from a Chinese developer in this emerging field. Under the agreement, Hertz will retain commercial rights for the DAC candidate in Greater China and is eligible to receive an upfront payment, milestone payments, sales royalties and potential sub-licensing revenue. Further details of the collaboration are to be disclosed at a later date.

The company's core technology is its proprietary DaTProD platform, which integrates proteomics, a proprietary E3 ligand-linker library and artificial intelligence to accelerate the discovery and development of targeted protein degradation (TPD) candidates. Hertz, which focuses on oncology, autoimmune and central nervous system (CNS) diseases, previously partnered with Johnson & Johnson in January 2025 to develop a best-in-class BTK degrader.

The DAC field is still in its early stages globally, with most candidates in preclinical stage, according to PharmCube's NextBiopharm® database. Click here to request a free trial for NextBiopharm®.