Licensing agreement with Chinese biotech Mabwell includes clinical-stage antibody that inhibits interleukin-11.
Calico Life Sciences, Alphabet’s biotechnology venture focused on aging and age-related diseases, has signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Shanghai-based Mabwell Bioscience for the development and commercialization of interleukin-11 targeting therapeutics. Central to the deal is Mabwell’s investigational monoclonal antibody designed to inhibit IL-11, a cytokine increasingly associated with age-related disorders and fibrotic conditions.
Calico has committed to an upfront payment of $25 million, with the possibility of an additional $571 million tied to development, regulatory and commercial milestones. The agreement grants Calico exclusive global rights, excluding Greater China, to develop, manufacture and commercialize the drug, called 9MW3811, which has undergone Phase I studies in both China and Australia. The antibody has also secured an Investigational New Drug application with the US FDA, setting the stage for potential clinical trials in the United States.
Mabwell’s antibody works by inhibiting IL-11 and its downstream signaling pathways, thereby suppressing inflammatory cascades that are believed to underlie many chronic and degenerative diseases associated with aging. In its preclinical studies, the company claims the drug reduced the content of lung collagen and improved lung function in mice with fibrosis, suggesting the results make it a “promising therapeutic agent” for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and other diseases.
With a strategic aim to expand its pipeline with novel therapeutics that address the biological mechanisms of aging, Calico’s interest in IL-11 comes amid a growing body of preclinical evidence that implicates the cytokine in fibrosis and systemic inflammation – factors that collectively contribute to aging pathology.
Recent research has provided compelling support for targeting IL-11 in the context of longevity and healthspan. Last year, a study conducted by scientists at Imperial College London and Duke-NUS Medical School demonstrated that blocking IL-11 signaling in mice resulted in significant health benefits and lifespan extension. Mice treated with an anti-IL-11 antibody exhibited improved muscle function, reduced fat accumulation, preservation of telomeres and mitochondrial integrity, and a marked reduction in cancer incidence. These interventions led to lifespan increases of up to 25%, pointing to IL-11 as a potential driver of age-related deterioration.
Earlier this year, Calico’s collaboration with AbbVie on an ALS treatment yielded disappointing trial results, underscoring the complex challenges of translating aging research into therapeutics. Nevertheless, Calico continues to invest heavily in collaborations, leveraging partnerships with institutions including AbbVie and the Broad Institute, and now with Mabwell, to pursue therapeutics that could influence the trajectory of aging.
