Exhibit 99.1
AbbVie and Xilio Therapeutics Announce Collaboration and Option Agreement to Develop
Novel Tumor-Activated Immunotherapies
| · | Collaboration will combine AbbVie’s oncology expertise and Xilio’s proprietary tumor-activation technology to develop novel immunotherapies, including masked T-cell engagers |
| · | Xilio to host investor conference call and webcast today at 8:30 am EST |
NORTH CHICAGO, IL and WALTHAM, MA, February 12, 2025 – AbbVie (NYSE: ABBV) and Xilio Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: XLO), a clinical-stage biotechnology company discovering and developing tumor-activated immuno-oncology therapies for people living with cancer, today announced a collaboration and option-to-license agreement to develop novel tumor-activated, antibody-based immunotherapies, including masked T-cell engagers, leveraging Xilio’s proprietary technology.
Xilio has developed a proprietary, clinically-validated platform technology for tumor-activated biologics. The company is advancing a pipeline of novel, clinical and pre-clinical immunotherapies, including masked multispecific molecules, designed to achieve tumor-selective activation by leveraging masking and other unique components that are optimized for the specific target. This allows focused activity within the tumor microenvironment with the goal of minimizing systemic adverse events.
“AbbVie is committed to expanding our R&D efforts in oncology. This includes investigation of novel immunotherapy approaches that aim to generate improved next-generation cancer treatments for patients in need,” said Theodora S. Ross, M.D., Ph.D., vice president, early oncology research and development, AbbVie. “This partnership with the Xilio team, further exemplifies our commitment.”
“This collaboration with AbbVie, a global leader in developing and commercializing oncology therapies, allows us to accelerate the expansion of our technology to next-generation immunotherapies, including T-cell engagers,” said Uli Bialucha, Ph.D., chief scientific officer of Xilio. “We look forward to working with the AbbVie team to apply our deep protein engineering expertise coupled with tumor-selective activation through our novel formats for masked T-cell engagers.”
Under the terms of the agreement, Xilio will receive $52.0 million in total upfront payments, including a $10.0M equity investment, and will be eligible to receive up to approximately $2.1 billion in total contingent payments for option-related fees and milestones plus tiered royalties.
Xilio Investor Conference Call Information
Xilio will host a conference call and webcast today at 8:30 am EST. Viewers can access the webcast by using this link. Listeners who require dial-in access should register here to receive a unique PIN and information to join the call. Listeners are encouraged to join at least 15 minutes prior to the scheduled start time. The webcast will also be accessible under “Events & Presentations” in the Investors & Media section of the Xilio Therapeutics website at https://ir.xiliotx.com. A replay of the webcast will be archived on the website for 30 days following the presentation.
About AbbVie
AbbVie's mission is to discover and deliver innovative medicines and solutions that solve serious health issues today and address the medical challenges of tomorrow. We strive to have a remarkable impact on people's lives across several key therapeutic areas – immunology, oncology, neuroscience, and eye care – and products and services in our Allergan Aesthetics portfolio. For more information about AbbVie, please