Zymeworks Licenses Lung Cancer Drug ZW209 to Roche in Deal Worth Up to $813 Million

Zymeworks has signed a global license and collaboration agreement with Roche granting Roche exclusive worldwide rights to develop and commercialize ZW209, its experimental trispecific T-cell engager targeting DLL3-expressing tumor cells. The deal is valued at up to $813 million in total potential payments.

Under the terms, Zymeworks will receive a $55 million upfront payment and an additional $40 million upon initiation of a Phase 1b clinical trial, followed by up to $718 million in development, commercial and sales-based milestones. Zymeworks is also eligible to receive tiered royalties on global net sales, ranging from high-single-digit to mid-teen percentages, protected by patents.

ZW209 is a trispecific T-cell engager designed to target DLL3, a protein commonly expressed in certain lung cancers including small cell lung cancer, a difficult-to-treat disease with limited therapeutic options. The collaboration gives Roche full global commercialization rights while Zymeworks retains its royalty interest and milestone economics.