VERAXA Biotech AG (NASDAQ: VRXA) announced today the advancement of its bispecific antibody-drug conjugate (bsADC) program, VXA-222, after reaching a key technical milestone in its collaboration with OmniAb (NASDAQ: OABI). The company said OmniAb has successfully completed its discovery work, allowing the program to move into its next phase. VXA-222 is designed to target two tumor antigens with a single molecule using an “AND-gate” approach intended to improve precision in treating solid tumors.
Under the collaboration launched in May 2025, OmniAb provided antibody discovery technologies, including its OmniClic platform, while VERAXA is applying its proprietary linker technology and conjugation expertise to develop and validate the lead bsADC candidate. VERAXA holds exclusive rights to develop and commercialize products arising from the collaboration, with OmniAb entitled to a share of specified revenue generated from resulting products.
The advancement of VXA-222 is significant because it represents a step forward in the development of more targeted cancer therapies. Traditional antibody-drug conjugates deliver a cytotoxic payload to cancer cells by targeting a single antigen, but this approach can be limited by off-target effects and tumor heterogeneity. By requiring the presence of two tumor antigens, the AND-gate logic of VXA-222 aims to increase specificity, potentially reducing damage to healthy tissues and improving the therapeutic window. This could be particularly impactful for patients with solid tumors, which are often challenging to treat due to their complex biology.
For the biotechnology industry, the progress of VXA-222 underscores the growing interest in bispecific formats and the value of partnerships that combine complementary technologies. The collaboration between VERAXA and OmniAb leverages OmniAb's discovery platforms with VERAXA's proprietary linker and conjugation expertise, a combination that could accelerate the development of next-generation ADCs. If successful, VXA-222 could pave the way for a new class of cancer therapeutics that are more precise and effective.
Investors and stakeholders should note that VERAXA holds exclusive rights to develop and commercialize products from the collaboration, which positions the company to capture value from any successful candidates. The milestone also validates the technical capabilities of both companies and may strengthen their standing in the competitive ADC landscape. The full press release is available at https://ibn.fm/qMRuJ.
VERAXA Biotech AG is focused on discovering and developing next-generation antibody-based therapeutics, including bispecific T cell engagers, bispecific ADCs, and other innovative formats. The company was founded on scientific breakthroughs made at the European Molecular Biology Laboratory (EMBL). More information about VERAXA is available in its newsroom at http://ibn.fm/VRXA.
