China-based DualityBio has entered a global collaboration and licence agreement with Genentech, a member of the Roche Group, to develop next-generation antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) built on DualityBio’s proprietary DUPAC (DualityBio Unique Payload Antibody Conjugate) platform, one of its four internal ADC engines alongside DITAC, DIMAC, and DIBAC.

DualityBio leads discovery and early global clinical work through Phase Ia against Genentech-defined oncology targets, after which Genentech assumes sole responsibility for later-phase development and worldwide commercialisation; DualityBio receives USD 45 million upfront, more than USD 1 billion in aggregate development, regulatory and commercial milestones across all programmes, and tiered royalties on net sales.

DUPAC bundles multiple non-topoisomerase-inhibitor payloads (including DUP5, DUP9, and DUP10) engineered for high potency, short systemic half-life, bystander killing and activity in tumours refractory to DXd-class TopI inhibitor ADCs now moving into earlier lines.

The deal structure is a platform-and-portfolio option rather than a single-molecule sale: Genentech buys a family of resistance-agnostic payloads and the right to pair them with its own antibodies, while DualityBio retains the platform for other partners and avoids the capital intensity of late-phase oncology.

PharmCube's NextBiopharm® database shows that platform deals have been gaining prominence in China's ADC out-licensing activity in recent years, currently accounting for 30%. Click here to request a free trial for NextBiopharm®.