Agenus closed its previously disclosed $141 million strategic collaboration with Zydus Lifesciences, which is designed to accelerate global development and potential commercialization of Agenus’s botensilimab and balstilimab (BOT+BAL) immunotherapy combination program.
The collaboration provides Agenus with strategic capital and committed, long-term biologics manufacturing capacity in the United States to support BOT+BAL clinical development, authorized early access pathways, and commercial supply preparation, noted Garo Armen, PhD, chairman and CEO of Agenus.
As part of the collaboration, Agenus has granted Zydus exclusive rights to develop and commercialize BOT and BAL in India and Sri Lanka, with Agenus eligible to receive royalties on net sales in those territories.
“Closing this collaboration with Zydus strengthens our balance sheet and, critically, secures dedicated U.S. manufacturing capacity at a pivotal moment for Agenus,” continued Armen. “With these foundations in place, our focus in 2026 is disciplined execution—advancing our Phase III program, broadening paid patient access through authorized pathways, and progressing toward regulatory submission supported by one of the most substantial clinical datasets generated in [microsatellite stable] MSS colorectal cancer.”
Following the closing, the Emeryville and Berkeley, CA, biologics manufacturing facilities will be transferred to Zydus and housed under a newly formed subsidiary named Zylidac Bio. Agenus has secured committed manufacturing capacity at these U.S. sites to support BOT+BAL supply needs for its clinical trials, global access programs, and future commercialization.
This transaction further positions Agenus to execute on its near- and long-term strategy as interest in BOT+BAL continues to grow globally.
“With this deal, Zylidac Bio will now provide biologicals manufacturing sites offering CDMO services to biopharmaceutical companies globally. This supports the evolving landscape of biological product manufacturing in the United States, which prioritizes secure, domestic, and high-quality supply chains for advanced therapies,” explained Sharvil Patel, director of Zydus Lifesciences.
