Merus and Halozyme partner on subcutaneous petosemtamab formulation

Merus N.V. (NASDAQ: MRUS) and Halozyme Therapeutics, Inc. (NASDAQ: HALO) announced a global collaboration and license agreement to develop a subcutaneous formulation of petosemtamab, an EGFR x LGR5 bispecific antibody.

Under the agreement, Merus has licensed Halozyme's ENHANZE drug delivery technology for the development and potential commercialization of subcutaneous administration of petosemtamab. The collaboration aims to improve treatment efficiency and patient experience compared to traditional intravenous delivery methods.

The financial terms include an upfront payment from Merus to Halozyme, with potential future milestone payments related to commercial and sales achievements if the product receives regulatory approval. Halozyme will receive up to low-mid single digit royalties on net sales of petosemtamab formulated with the ENHANZE technology during the royalty term.

Petosemtamab is currently being studied across multiple solid tumor cancers, with particular focus on head and neck cancer applications. The subcutaneous formulation could potentially reduce treatment burden for patients who would otherwise require intravenous infusions.

Halozyme's ENHANZE technology uses the proprietary enzyme rHuPH20 to facilitate subcutaneous delivery of injected drugs and fluids. The technology has been used in ten commercialized products across more than 100 global markets, touching one million patient lives in post-marketing use.

The company has previously licensed its technology to pharmaceutical companies including Roche, Takeda, Pfizer, Janssen, AbbVie, Eli Lilly, Bristol-Myers Squibb, and others.

This collaboration represents a non-exclusive agreement, allowing both companies to pursue additional partnerships. The development timeline and regulatory submission plans were not disclosed in the announcement.

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