Daiichi Sankyo and German research institute BioMed X have agreed a new partnership to advance the development of bi- and multi-specific biologics for treating solid tumours. 

The new project, entitled ‘New Strategies for Targeting of Solid Tumours with Multi-Specific Biologics (MTT; Multi-Specific Targeting of Tumours)’, will be hosted at the BioMed X Institute in Heidelberg. 

The goal of the partnership is to leverage the latest advances in multi-functional biologics, such as bi- and tri-specific antibodies, to develop new therapies that can engage multiple targets simultaneously within the tumour microenvironment.  

These next-generation therapies aim to overcome the limitations of conventional treatments by leveraging synergistic effects of different antitumor signalling pathways and mechanisms by manipulating proximity of multiple targets. 

The partners are inviting researchers around the world to participate in the project by submitting a project proposal via the BioMed X Career Space at https://career.bio.mx/call/2025-BMX-C01 before 9 March 2025. 

The MTT initiative focuses on the following key research challenges: 

• Development of new therapeutic concepts for bi- or multi-specific biologics for new extracellular or intracellular target combinations which could be exploited for the treatment of solid tumours. 

• Exploration, identification, and functional validation of promising new target combinations in vitro and in vivo. 

• Development of an elegant in vitro assay system for functional assessment of novel target combinations. 

Christian Tidona, Founder and Managing Director of the BioMed X Institute, commented: “Partnering with Daiichi Sankyo on the MTT project allows us to expand our research in oncology, focusing on next-generation biologics that can truly make a difference for cancer patients.”

Diana Spencer, Senior Digital Content Editor, DDW