Zymeworks

Zymeworks Inc. is a publicly held biotechnology company based in Vancouver, British Columbia, that develops protein therapeutics for the treatment of cancer as well as for autoimmune and inflammatory diseases. The products are based upon the company's molecular modeling software for optimizing protein structure.[1][2][3] In 2014, Zymeworks raised $44 million across various funding rounds according to PitchBook, placing it among the top 10 HealthTech businesses in the world to raise the most capital that year.[4] In May 2017, Zymeworks held an IPO on the Toronto Stock Exchange, raising $59 million. This was the largest Canadian biotech IPO in more than a decade.[5] By alphabetical order, Zymeworks is the last company on the Toronto Stock Exchange.

Zymeworks Inc.
TypePublic
NYSE: ZYME
IndustryBiotechnology
Founded2003
Headquarters
Vancouver, British Columbia
,
Canada
Key people
Ali Tehrani
Donald L. Drakeman
ProductsPharmaceuticals
Number of employees
450
Websitewww.zymeworks.com

In May 2019, Zymeworks announced that GSK has expanded its 2016 licensing and collaboration agreement for the research, development and commercialization of bispecific antibodies across multiple disease areas. The extended agreement has meant that GSK can have access to Zymeworks' heavy-light chain pairing technology, which enables the development of bispecific and multifunctional therapeutics.[6]

In September 2019, Zymeworks announced that, following their clinical trials, it has been confirmed that their ZW25 monotherapy can provide durable disease control in patients with a variety of HER2-expressing solid tumors that have progressed following standard of care treatments.[7]

In May 2022, Zymeworks rejected an unsolicited takeover proposal from a Dubai hedge fund, All Blue Falcons FZE, an arm of All Blue Capital.[8]

Azymetric

This is an IgG1-based heterodimeric antibody scaffold that consists of two different heavy chains engineered to exclusively assemble into a single molecule, allowing bi-specific binding to two different antigens or drug targets. The Azymetric scaffold is engineered by making amino acid changes in the CH3 region of the constant Fc domain of the IgG1.[9][10] This scaffold can also be engineered with tailored effector function and optimized serum half-life.

Awards and recognition
  • Deal of the Year, Lifesciences BC Awards, 2018[11]
  • Life Sciences Company of the Year, Lifesciences BC Awards, 2016[12]
  • Emerging company of the year – Health, BIOTECanada Gold Leaf Awards, 2015[13]
  • 12th Place, BC's Leading Innovators, 2011[14]
  • Life Science Emerging Rocket, 2009, 2010, 2011[15]
  • Early stage Company of the year – Industrial & Agriculture, BIOTECanada Gold Leaf Awards, 2009[16]

References
  1. "About Zymeworks". April 12, 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-12.
  2. Holmes, David (2011). "Buy Buy Bispecific Antibodies". Nature Reviews Drug Discovery. 10 (11): 798–800. doi:10.1038/nrd3581. PMID 22037028. S2CID 27828836.
  3. DePalma, Angelo (2011). "Improving Classic Antibody Engineering: Diverse Methodologies and Fresh Insights Turn a Good Technique into an Even Better One". Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology News. 31 (36). doi:10.1089/gen.31.20.14.
  4. "The 10 healthtech companies that raised the most capital in 2014". Hot Topics. January 2015. Retrieved 14 January 2015.
  5. "Zymeworks IPO bears good tidings for Canadian biotechnology". The Globe and Mail. 2017-06-04. Retrieved 2018-02-20.
  6. "Zymeworks and Pharma Giant GSK Expand 2016 Azymetric Bispecific Agreement, Worth up to Potential US $1.1 Billion". www.bctechnology.com. 2019-05-17. Retrieved 2019-10-28.
  7. "Zymeworks Announces Updated Single Agent Data for HER2-Targeted Bispecific Antibody ZW25 at European Society for Medical Oncology (ESMO) Congress". Financial Post. 2019-09-28. Retrieved 2019-10-28.
  8. Silcoff, Sean (2022-05-20). "Vancouver biotech Zymeworks rejects $10.50-a- share hostile bid from Dubai hedge fund All Blue". The Globe and Mail. Retrieved 2022-05-20.
  9. "Azymetric". April 19, 2012. Retrieved 2012-04-19.
  10. von Kreudenstein, Thomas Spreter; Escobar-Carbrera, Eric; Lario, Paula I.; d'Angelo, Igor; Brault, Karine; Kelly, John F.; Durocher, Yves; Baardsnes, Jason; Woods, R. Jeremy; Xie, Michael Hongwei; Girod, Pierre-Alain; Suits, Michael D. L.; Boulanger, Martin J.; Poon, David K. Y.; Ng, Gordon Y.; Dixit, Surjit B. (2014). "Improving biophysical properties of a bispecific antibody scaffold to aid developability". mAbs. 5 (5): 646–654. doi:10.4161/mabs.25632. PMC 3851217. PMID 23924797.
  11. "2018 LifeSciences BC Annual Award Winners Announced | LifeSciences BC". Retrieved 2020-10-09.
  12. "Zymeworks Receives LifeSciences BC Life Sciences Company of the Year Award". Archived from the original on 24 June 2016.
  13. "BIOTECanada :: Gold Leaf Awards". Retrieved 2015-09-17.
  14. (April 4, 2011). "Congratulations to Zymeworks, #12 in 2011's Most Innovative Companies in B.C.". Retrieved 2012-04-12.
  15. (March 1, 2011) "2011 Ready to Rocket Life Science Presentation" Retrieved 2012-04-12.
  16. "2009 BIOTECanada Annual Report". Retrieved 2012-04-12.



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