Astellas Pharma secures option to acquire license for Audax Biosciences' oncology candidate

Astellas Pharma has signed an agreement with Audax Biosciences to secure an exclusive option to license, develop, and commercialize DAX-044. The candidate is an immune-targeted IL-12 antibody-cytokine fusion designed for immuno-oncology applications.

Under the terms of the agreement, Audax Biosciences will retain responsibility for the initial development phase, including the ongoing Phase 1 clinical trials. Once these milestones are reached, Astellas may exercise its option to gain global commercialization rights. Audax retains the opportunity to co-fund and co-promote the therapy specifically within the Australian and New Zealand markets.

The collaboration highlights a strategic move for Astellas to expand its oncology pipeline through external research partnerships. The asset, DAX-044, aims to address the delivery of cytokines to tumor environments while attempting to minimize systemic toxicity, a common challenge in traditional immunotherapy treatments.

Financial details were not fully disclosed beyond the existence of potential milestone payments. The transition of the drug to later-stage development remains contingent upon the successful completion of the current Phase 1 study by Audax.