Ligand out-licenses OmniAb platform to Gilead

Ligand Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: LGND) has entered into a worldwide license agreement with Gilead Sciences (Nasdaq: GILD), allowing the biotech giant to use its OmniRat, OmniMouse and OmniFlicplatforms to discover fully human mono- and bispecific antibodies to be developed for the treatment of various diseases.

Ligand is eligible to receive annual platform access payments, milestone payments and royalties for each product incorporating an OmniAb antibody. Gilead will be responsible for all costs related to the programs. Further financial terms were not revealed.

“Having access to the OmniAb platform provides Gilead with an industry-leading technology to discover novel antibody therapeutics,” said John Higgins, chief executive of Ligand. “This license agreement adds to the multiple post-OMT-acquisition licensing agreements that have already been signed including one recently signed with F-star. It also continues to demonstrate the licensing power of the OmniAb platform, which stands next to Captisol and other proprietary Ligand technologies in driving our future growth opportunities,” he added.