AbCellera Biologics (Nasdaq: ABCL) inks Vertex T-cell engager partnership
Rhea-AI Filing Summary
AbCellera Biologics Inc. entered into a collaboration with Vertex Pharmaceuticals to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize multispecific T-cell engagers for autoimmune diseases and other conditions. AbCellera will use its proprietary T-cell engager platform to lead discovery and early development.
Vertex will fund all research and development costs and will have the right to develop and commercialize therapeutic multispecific antibodies arising from the collaboration. AbCellera will receive $28 1 million in total upfront payments and is eligible for additional milestone payments and tiered royalties on net sales, with an option for AbCellera to provide development and clinical manufacturing through Phase 1 by mutual agreement.
Positive
- Vertex collaboration includes $28 1 million in total upfront payments to AbCellera, with additional potential milestone payments and tiered royalties on net sales.
- Vertex will fund all research and development costs under the multispecific T-cell engager collaboration, limiting AbCellera’s direct R&D spending for these programs.
Negative
- None.
Insights
Analyzing...
8-K Event Classification
2 items: 8.01, 9.01
2 items
Item 8.01
Other Events
Other
Voluntary disclosure of events the company deems important to shareholders but not covered by other items.
Item 9.01
Financial Statements and Exhibits
Exhibits
Financial statements, pro forma financial information, and exhibit attachments filed with this report.
Key Figures
Upfront collaboration payments: $28 1 million
Collaboration announcement date: July 29, 2026
2 metrics
Upfront collaboration payments
$28 1 million
Total upfront payments to AbCellera from Vertex under the TCE collaboration
Collaboration announcement date
July 29, 2026
Date AbCellera announced the Vertex multispecific T-cell engager collaboration
Key Terms
multispecific T-cell engagers, tiered royalties, clinical-stage biotechnology company, cell line development, +1 more
5 terms
multispecific T-cell engagers medical
"to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize multispecific T-cell engagers"
Multispecific T‑cell engagers are engineered biological molecules that simultaneously bind a T cell and two or more targets on a diseased cell, bringing the immune cell into close contact with its target to trigger killing. Like a multi-pronged clasp that hooks both a soldier and several enemy flags, they aim to increase precision and reduce the chance a disease cell escapes detection. Investors track them because their design can influence clinical effectiveness, safety profiles, and the commercial prospects of drug candidates.
tiered royalties financial
"eligible to receive ... milestone payments, along with tiered royalties on net sales"
Tiered royalties are a payment structure where the percentage of earnings paid as royalties changes based on different levels of sales or production. For example, a company might pay a smaller percentage on initial sales and a higher percentage as sales increase beyond certain points. This system encourages higher sales by adjusting payments, making it important for investors to understand how revenue sharing may vary as a product or project grows.
clinical-stage biotechnology company medical
"AbCellera ... is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on discovering"
cell line development technical
"may mutually agree to have AbCellera perform cell line development, process development"
Cell line development is the laboratory process of creating a stable, reproducible population of cells that can be used to make biological products, run tests, or support research. For investors, it matters because the chosen cell line is like picking a factory and workforce: it determines how reliably and cheaply a drug or vaccine can be produced, affects quality control and regulatory approval risk, and therefore influences timelines, costs and potential returns.
Phase 1 medical
"clinical manufacturing through Phase 1 for any program under the collaboration"
Phase 1 is the first stage of testing a new drug or medical treatment in people, focused primarily on safety, how the body handles the product, and finding a tolerated dose. Think of it as a short, tightly controlled experiment with a small group to check for dangerous side effects before wider testing; for investors it is an early milestone that reduces some uncertainty but still carries high risk and potential for both big value changes and setbacks.
AI-generated analysis. How Rhea-AI works. Not financial advice.
FAQ
What collaboration did AbCellera (ABCL) announce with Vertex Pharmaceuticals?
AbCellera announced a collaboration with Vertex to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize multispecific T-cell engagers for autoimmune diseases and other conditions, with AbCellera leading discovery and early development using its proprietary TCE platform.
How much upfront funding does AbCellera (ABCL) receive from the Vertex collaboration?
AbCellera will receive $28 1 million in total upfront payments from Vertex. This is in addition to potential preclinical, development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments and tiered royalties on net sales from any successful therapies.
Who funds research and development costs in the AbCellera (ABCL) and Vertex TCE partnership?
Vertex will fund all research and development costs related to the multispecific T-cell engager collaboration. Vertex also gains the right to develop and commercialize therapeutic multispecific antibodies that result from the joint programs.
What role will AbCellera (ABCL) play in the Vertex T-cell engager collaboration?
AbCellera will leverage its proprietary TCE platform to lead discovery and early development of multispecific T-cell engagers. The parties may also mutually agree for AbCellera to perform cell line development, process development, and clinical manufacturing through Phase 1.
What additional payments could AbCellera (ABCL) earn from the Vertex agreement?
Beyond upfront payments, AbCellera is eligible for preclinical, development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, plus tiered royalties on net sales of any therapeutic multispecific antibodies developed and commercialized by Vertex under the collaboration.
UNITED STATES
SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION
WASHINGTON, D.C. 20549
__________________________________________
FORM 8-K
__________________________________________
CURRENT REPORT
PURSUANT TO SECTION 13 OR 15(d)
OF THE SECURITIES EXCHANGE ACT OF 1934
Date of Report (Date of earliest event reported): July 29, 2026
__________________________________________
(Exact name of registrant as specified in its charter)
__________________________________________
| Not Applicable | ||||||||
| (State or other jurisdiction of incorporation) | (Commission File Number) | (IRS Employer Identification Number) | ||||||
150 W 4th Avenue | |||||
| (Address of registrant’s principal executive office) | (Zip code) | ||||
(Registrant’s telephone number, including area code)
(Former name or former address, if changed since last report)
__________________________________________
Check the appropriate box below if the Form 8-K filing is intended to simultaneously satisfy the filing obligation of the registrant under any of the following provisions:
| Written communications pursuant to Rule 425 under the Securities Act (17 CFR 230.425) | ||||||||
| Soliciting material pursuant to Rule 14a-12 under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14a-12) | ||||||||
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 14d-2(b) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.14d-2(b)) | ||||||||
| Pre-commencement communications pursuant to Rule 13e-4(c) under the Exchange Act (17 CFR 240.13e-4(c)) | ||||||||
Securities registered pursuant to Section 12(b) of the Act:
| Title of each class | Trading symbol(s) | Name of each exchange on which registered | ||||||
Indicate by check mark whether the registrant is an emerging growth company as defined in Rule 405 of the Securities Act of 1933 or Rule 12b-2 of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934.
Emerging growth company o
If an emerging growth company, indicate by check mark if the registrant has elected not to use the extended transition period for complying with any new or revised financial accounting standards provided pursuant to Section 13(a) of the Exchange Act. o
Item 8.01 Other Events
On July 29, 2026, AbCellera Biologics Inc. (the “Company”) issued a press release announcing a collaboration with Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize multispecific T-cell engagers (TCEs) for autoimmune diseases and other conditions. The Company will leverage its proprietary TCE platform
to lead discovery and early development activities. A copy of the press release is attached hereto as Exhibit 99.1 to this Current Report on Form 8-K and is incorporated herein by reference.
Item 9.01 Financial Statements and Exhibits
(d)Exhibits
| Exhibit No. | Description | |||||||
| 99.1 | Press Release issued by AbCellera Biologics Inc. on July 29, 2026. | |||||||
| 104 | Cover Page Interactive Data File (embedded as Inline XBRL document) | |||||||
SIGNATURES
Pursuant to the requirements of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended, the registrant has duly caused this report to be signed on its behalf by the undersigned hereunto duly authorized.
| Date: July 29, 2026 | ABCELLERA BIOLOGICS INC. | |||||||
| By: | /s/ Carl L. G. Hansen | |||||||
| Carl L. G. Hansen, Ph.D. | ||||||||
Chief Executive Officer and Director (Principal Executive Officer) | ||||||||
150 W 4th Ave Vancouver, BC V5Y 1G6 T 1. 604.559.9005 abcellera.com NEWS RELEASE AbCellera Announces Collaboration with Vertex to Discover Multispeci�c T-Cell Engagers for Autoimmune Diseases and Other Conditions 2026-07-29 VANCOUVER, British Columbia--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- AbCellera (Nasdaq: ABCL) today announced a collaboration with Vertex Pharmaceuticals Incorporated (Nasdaq: VRTX) to research, develop, manufacture, and commercialize multispeci�c T-cell engagers (TCEs) for autoimmune diseases and other conditions. “We are excited to collaborate with Vertex, a recognized leader in innovation, to accelerate the development of new, transformative therapies,” said Carl Hansen, Ph.D., founder and CEO of AbCellera. “We continue to see our TCE platform as a source for advancing impactful programs into the clinic, both internally and through strategic partnerships.” “Vertex is committed to transforming the treatment landscape for people with serious diseases,” said Mark Bunnage, D.Phil., EVP and Chief Scienti�c O�cer at Vertex. “AbCellera’s T-cell engager platform offers sophisticated capabilities for discovering and engineering multispeci�c antibodies and we look forward to working with AbCellera’s team to explore the potential of this technology to develop innovative therapies for patients in need.” Under the terms of the agreement, AbCellera will leverage its proprietary TCE platform to lead discovery and early development activities. Vertex will fund all research and development costs and will have the right to develop and commercialize therapeutic multispeci�c antibodies resulting from the collaboration. AbCellera will receive $28 1
million in total upfront payments and is eligible to receive preclinical, development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments, along with tiered royalties on net sales. In addition, 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. About AbCellera’s T-Cell Engager Platform AbCellera's T-cell engager platform is a fully integrated capability, from discovery to clinical manufacturing, for developing multispeci�c TCEs in many therapeutic areas, including oncology and autoimmune conditions. The platform includes novel and proprietary panels of CD3-binding antibodies, costimulatory targeting arms, multispeci�c protein engineering technology, novel formats, and a suite of high-throughput functional assays. About AbCellera Biologics Inc. AbCellera (Nasdaq: ABCL) is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on discovering and developing �rst- in-class antibody-based medicines in the areas of endocrinology, women’s health, immunology, oncology, and more. For more information, please visit www.abcellera.com. AbCellera Forward-looking Statements This document contains forward-looking statements, including statements made pursuant to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The forward-looking statements are based on management’s beliefs and assumptions and on information currently available to management. All statements contained in this document other than statements of historical fact are forward-looking statements, including statements regarding our ability to develop, commercialize and achieve market acceptance of our current and planned products and services, our research and development efforts, and other matters regarding our business strategies, use of capital, results of operations and �nancial position, plans, objectives for future operations, and the evaluation of our available liquidity accessible to execute on our strategy (including our ability to access our reimbursement based R&D government contributions). The use of certain data derived from cross-study comparisons are not based on any head-to-head clinical trials. Cross-study comparisons are inherently limited and may suggest misleading similarities and differences and are presented for informational purposes. In some cases, you can identify forward-looking statements by the words “may,” “will,” “could,” “would,” “should,” “expect,” “intend,” “plan,” “anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “predict,” “project,” “potential,” “continue,” “ongoing” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology, although not all forward-looking statements contain these words. These statements involve risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause actual results, levels of activity, performance, or achievements to be materially different from the information expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks, uncertainties, other factors, and de�nition of our business metrics are described under “Risk Factors,” “Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and elsewhere in the documents we �le with the Securities and Exchange Commission from time to time. We caution you that forward-looking statements are based on a combination of facts and factors currently 2
known by us and our projections of the future, about which we cannot be certain. As a result, the forward-looking statements may not prove to be accurate. The forward-looking statements in this document represent our views as of the date hereof. We undertake no obligation to update any forward-looking statements for any reason, except as required by law. Inquiries Media: Tiffany Chiu; media@abcellera.com, +1(236)521-6774 Partnering: Murray McCutcheon, Ph.D.; partnering@abcellera.com, +1(604)559-9005 Investor Relations: Peter Ahn; ir@abcellera.com, +1(778)729-9116 Source: AbCellera Biologics Inc. 3