Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals (Beijing) Co. has announced an antibody evaluation and option agreement with American biopharmaceutical company Gilead Sciences, Inc.

The agreement provides Gilead access to Biocytogen’s extensive fully human antibody library generated against a wide range of therapeutic targets. Over a three-year nomination period, Gilead will nominate targets of interest and evaluate the corresponding antibodies, with the option to acquire selected antibodies for worldwide therapeutic development.

Under the terms of the agreement, Biocytogen will receive a payment to enable Gilead’s evaluation of certain antibodies directed to a given nominated target. Biocytogen is eligible to receive option exercise fees along with development, regulatory and sales milestone payments for each selected antibody against the nominated targets, as well as single-digit royalties on net sales.

Biocytogen’s antibody library was generated using a series of proprietary RenMice platforms, which were genetically engineered to accelerate the development of novel antibody-based therapeutics. RenMab mice carry the entire human antibody variable region repertoire, and can generate fully human antibodies with high diversity, low immunogenicity, outstanding specificity and affinity, and exhibit excellent developability properties.