AbbVie and Harpoon expand collaboration in oncology

Harpoon Therapeutics (Nasdaq: HARP) has inked a deal with AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) in relation to HPN217, a BCMA-targeting candidate. The firms have also expanded an existing discovery collaboration by up to six additional targets.

Harpoon is a clinical-stage immunotherapy company developing a novel class of T cell engagers. The firms agreed in 2017 to work together to discover new candidates, leveraging Harpoon’s proprietary TriTAC platform.

Chief executive Gerald McMahon said: “Harpoon has built a unique and proprietary biologics platform that utilizes the cancer patient’s own immune system to attack cancer. HPN217, targeting BCMA, is poised to advance to clinical development for the treatment of multiple myeloma.”