Avenzo Therapeutics and DualityBio Announce Exclusive Global License for Potential Best-In-Class EGFR/HER3 Antibody-Drug Conjugate

Avenzo to receive exclusive global license (excluding Greater China) for development, manufacturing and commercialization of potential best-in-class EGFR/HER3 antibody-drug conjugate

EGFR and HER3 co-expressed across various solid tumors, including non-small cell lung cancer, breast cancer, and head and neck cancer

First-in-human clinical study expected this year

SAN DIEGO, SOMERSET, N.J. and SHANGHAI, Jan. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Avenzo Therapeutics, Inc. ("Avenzo"), a clinical-stage biotechnology company developing next-generation oncology therapies, and Duality Biotherapeutics ("DualityBio"), a clinical-stage biotech company focusing on the discovery and development of next-generation antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) therapeutics, today announced that they have entered into an exclusive license agreement, pursuant to which Avenzo will develop, manufacture and commercialize AVZO-1418/DB-1418, a potential best-in-class EGFR/HER3 bispecific ADC, globally (excluding Greater China).

"DualityBio has a strong track record of developing and advancing a pipeline of differentiated ADCs that target a broad range of indications," said Athena Countouriotis, M.D., Co-founder, President and CEO of Avenzo Therapeutics. "By targeting both EGFR and HER3 with its differentiated design, AVZO-1418/DB-1418 has the potential to provide clinical benefit across multiple solid tumor types. We are excited to add this drug candidate to our clinical pipeline and look forward to collaborating with DualityBio to quickly progress this program into clinical studies."

Under the terms of the agreement, DualityBio will receive an upfront payment of $50 million and will be eligible to receive up to approximately $1.15 billion in development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments. In addition, DualityBio is eligible to receive tiered royalties on sales in Avenzo's territory.

"DualityBio and Avenzo share a common purpose in developing the next generation of oncology therapies that address underserved therapeutic areas," said John Zhu, Ph.D., Founder and CEO of DualityBio. "Based on preclinical studies, we believe AVZO-1418/DB-1418 has the potential to offer enhanced therapeutic benefits over other therapies. We look forward to partnering with the Avenzo team to accelerate the development of this program and provide a potential new treatment option to cancer patients."

IND-enabling studies are ongoing with plans to advance AVZO-1418/DB-1418 into a first-in-human clinical study this year.

About AVZO-1418/DB-1418

AVZO-1418/DB-1418 is an EGFR/HER3 dual targeting, topoisomerase-1 inhibitor-based ADC built from DualityBio's proprietary Duality Innovative Bispecific Antibody Conjugate (DIBAC) platform. In preclinical studies, AVZO-1418/DB-1418 has exhibited higher binding affinity to tumor cells and has demonstrated its efficacy potential across various solid tumors, including those that are EGFR-resistant, EGFR-low or HER3-resistant.

About Avenzo Therapeutics

Avenzo Therapeutics is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on developing next-generation oncology therapies for patients. The company's lead drug candidate, AVZO-021, is a novel, highly potent and selective inhibitor of CDK2, a key enzyme involved in cell cycle regulation. AVZO-021 is being studied in a Phase 1 study in the U.S. for the treatment of advanced solid tumors and in combinations in HR+/HER2-negative metastatic breast cancer. Avenzo is headquartered in San Diego, California. For more information, visit us at www.avenzotx.com or on LinkedIn.

About DualityBio

Duality Biotherapeutics is a clinical-stage biotech company dedicated to the discovery and development of next-generation ADCs to treat cancer and autoimmune diseases. DualityBio has successfully built several cutting-edge ADC technology platforms with global intellectual property rights. Leveraging a robust pipeline, DualityBio is conducting multiple global clinical trials across 17 countries and has enrolled over 1,500 patients for multiple clinical-stage ADC candidates.

Additionally, DualityBio has established strategic collaborations with global MNCs and leading biotech innovators. As a global ADC powerhouse, DualityBio is developing "Super ADCs," including bispecific ADCs, novel-payload ADCs, and autoimmune ADCs. For more information, please visit www.dualitybiologics.com.

Avenzo Therapeutics Contact:
Carla Taub
Media Relations
ctaub@avenzotx.com  

DualityBio Media Contact:
PR@dualitybiologics.com

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Avenzo Therapeutics and DualityBio Announce Exclusive Global License for Potential Best-In-Class EGFR/HER3 Antibody-Drug Conjugate

SINGAPORE, April 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Certis is pleased to announce the appointment of Mr Ng Tian Beng as President and Group Chief Executive Officer (Group CEO), effective 7 April 2025. He succeeds Mr Paul Chong, who will be redesignated as Advisor to the Chairman until his retirement in March 2026.

Mr Ng joins Certis with more than 25 years of experience in the technology sector, bringing with him a strong track record in strategic leadership, business growth, innovation, and stakeholder engagement.

Most recently, he served as Senior Vice President and General Manager for Dell Technologies Asia Pacific and Japan, where he oversaw partnerships with distributors, system integrators, resellers, and independent software vendors, while also serving as site leader for Dell Singapore. He played a pivotal role in Dell's collaboration with Singapore's Economic Development Board (EDB), spearheading the development of a Digital Cities vertical focused on Safe City, Urban Mobility, and Green and Sustainable solutions.

Since joining Dell Technologies in 1998, Mr Ng has held multiple senior leadership roles across Asia Pacific, covering commercial, enterprise, government, and consumer segments. His previous positions include Senior Vice President and Managing Director for South Asia and Korea, General Manager for Singapore and Brunei, and Director of Global Accounts for Asia Pacific and Japan for the Fortune 500 global tech conglomerate.

"Tian Beng's appointment marks a new chapter for Certis," said Mr Allen Lew, Chairman of Certis. "His leadership will be instrumental in strengthening our business and culture as we continue to deliver on our Purpose. On behalf of the Board, I warmly welcome him to the Certis family."

Mr Ng said, "I am both honoured and excited to join Certis to chart the future together. Building on Certis' strong heritage and transformation into a leading Ops-Tech solutions provider, I look forward to working with the amazing team to continue our growth journey—leveraging innovation to build a safer, smarter and better world."

In addition to his corporate leadership, Mr Ng has actively contributed to national initiatives through his involvement in organisations such as the Singapore Manufacturing Federation, the Singapore IT Federation, and various committees under the Workplace Safety and Health Council of the Ministry of Manpower.

Mr Ng holds a Bachelor of Science from Santa Clara University, California, United States, and an MBA in Marketing from the University of Western Australia.

About Certis (www.certisgroup.com)

Backed by decades of experience in security, Certis is a leader today in smart integrated operations, leveraging technology to power transformations in security, manpower, facilities and property management solutions.

Guided by our Operational Design First philosophy, our vast service offerings capitalise on our strong security heritage and deep operational expertise, enhanced with applied AI solutions for better decision making and outcomes. Central to our approach is our unique Business Process Re-engineering and Operations (BPRO^®) framework, where we help customers manage change and enhance efficiencies through design thinking and a problem-solving approach.

Incorporated in 2004, Certis is headquartered in Singapore, with an international presence extending to Australia and Qatar. We are a trusted partner dedicated to our clients' success, supported by our 26,000-strong global team, always striving to make our world safer, smarter, better.

** The press release content is from PR Newswire. Bastille Post is not involved in its creation. **

Certis appoints Ng Tian Beng as President and Group CEO