The partners will focus R&D efforts on immunological and inflammatory conditions using Dualitas’ DualScreen Bispecific Discovery Engine platform.
Roche is enlisting the help of California’s Dualitas Therapeutics to advance bispecific antibodies for immunology indications in a back-heavy deal that could deepen the pharma’s expertise in this modality.
Under the terms of the agreement, announced Thursday, Roche is forking over $36.5 million upfront and setting aside funds for certain research, development and commercial milestones. If fully met, the deal could hit $1 billion in value. Dualitas will also be entitled to tiered royalties on sales of products that reach the market.
Roche will gain access to Dualitas’ proprietary DualScreen Bispecific Discovery Engine platform, which the biotech claims can screen “more than 300,000 bispecific combinations” to discover and develop bispecific antibody therapeutics. Such an approach could set DualScreen molecules apart from current bispecifics that “narrowly focus on pre-determined target pairs of known biology,” according to the company’s website.
Roche will be responsible for all preclinical, regulatory, manufacturing and commercial activities. The partners will work to target immunological and inflammatory conditions, though they did not specify what indications will be prioritized.
The Dualitas deal could serve to deepen Roche’s portfolio of bispecific therapies, currently anchored by FDA-approved products such as Columvi for diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, Lunsumio for relapsed or refractory follicular lymphoma and Vabysmo for several eye conditions.
The pharma has also worked to expand its bispecific pipeline with an October 2025 deal with China’s Qyuns Therapeutics, paying $75 million upfront for a long-acting candidate that targets both TSLP and IL-33, known to play a role in the immune response against external stimuli. The asset is being tested for respiratory conditions such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and asthma. Roche could be on the hook for up to $995 million if all milestones are met.
The pharma has likewise continued an active dealmaking streak outside of bispecifics. Last month, Roche bet up to $2.3 billion in an obesity pact with Hanmi Pharm and up to $1 billion in a cancer alliance with DualityBio. In June, Roche put up to $2.3 billion on the line to work with Nurix Therapeutics on an investigational B cell cancer program.
