Antengene has received a $60 million upfront payment from UCB under a worldwide exclusive licensing agreement for ATG-201, a CD19/CD3 bispecific T-cell engager antibody being developed for B-cell-driven autoimmune diseases.
The companies entered the agreement in March 2026, giving UCB exclusive global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialise ATG-201.
ATG-201 is designed to eliminate CD19-expressing B cells by engaging CD3 on T cells and CD19 on B cells. The candidate incorporates steric-hindrance masking technology intended to regulate its activity and support the treatment of autoimmune diseases driven by pathogenic B cells.
Under the original agreement, Antengene was eligible to receive $80 million in upfront and near-term milestone payments. The company may also receive more than $1.1 billion in development, regulatory and sales milestones, as well as tiered royalties on future net sales.
ATG-201 has received investigational new drug clearance from China’s National Medical Products Administration for the Phase I ATTRACT study in B-cell-related autoimmune diseases.
Antengene is progressing the early-stage study in China and has also outlined plans to support clinical development in Australia.
The agreement represents the first external licensing transaction involving Antengene’s AnTenGager T-cell engager platform.
Antengene is developing the platform across autoimmune diseases, haematological malignancies and solid tumours, using bispecific molecules designed to redirect T cells towards disease-associated targets.
