AbCellera to lead T-cell engager discovery for Vertex under new autoimmune disease pact

AbCellera Biologics announced on July 29, 2026 a collaboration with Vertex Pharmaceuticals to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize multispecific T-cell engagers for autoimmune diseases and other conditions.¹

The arrangement divides responsibilities rather than pooling them equally. AbCellera will use its proprietary TCE platform to lead discovery and early development activities.¹ Vertex, meanwhile, will fund all research and development costs and will have the right to develop and commercialize therapeutic multispecific antibodies resulting from the collaboration.¹

On payment terms, AbCellera will receive upfront payments and is eligible to receive preclinical, development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, along with tiered royalties on net sales.¹ The filing lists the upfront figure as "$28 1 million," an apparent formatting or spacing error in the source document, so the exact dollar amount cannot be confirmed from this filing as written.

The companies also left room for AbCellera's role to grow. AbCellera and Vertex may mutually agree to have AbCellera perform cell line development, process development, and clinical manufacturing through Phase 1 for any program under the collaboration.¹

AbCellera describes its TCE platform as a fully integrated capability, from discovery to clinical manufacturing, for developing multispecific TCEs in many therapeutic areas, including oncology and autoimmune conditions, built on novel and proprietary panels of CD3-binding antibodies, costimulatory targeting arms, multispecific protein engineering technology, novel formats, and a suite of high-throughput functional assays.¹

The announcement was filed as an 8-K with an attached press release dated July 29, 2026, signed by Carl L. G. Hansen, Chief Executive Officer and Director.¹