Following the publication of these results, we began preparations to start the Phase III study with caplacizumab in 2015. Regulatory meetings were held early in 2015 in the US and EU to discuss the possibility of an expedited approval process based on the Phase II study data.
ARE YOU STARTING TO PUT GREATER EMPHASIS ON YOUR INTERNALLY-DRIVEN PROJECTS? Collaborations continue to form a crucial part of our hybrid business model and we expanded a number of existing partnerships during the year. We further validated the uniqueness of our powerful technology platform through the signature of a second agreement with Merck & Co. This new agreement focuses on the discovery and development of Nanobodies directed towards immune checkpoint modulators in immune-oncology, with a specific focus on multi-specific Nanobodies. Immune-oncology is a rapidly developing therapeutic field, with the first antibody-based products already reaching the
ANNUAL REPORT 2014 / ABLYNX
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market and showing great promise. The ability to link together multiple Nanobodies to different targets is a key advantage of our technology and could offer important benefits compared with mono-specific antibody approaches. In addition, we continued to expand our relationships in Asia through a second, exclusive, royalty-bearing licensing agreement with Eddingpharm to develop and commercialise our anti-TNFÎą Nanobody, ozoralizumab, in China, Macao, Taiwan and Hong Kong. We believe that both collaborations demonstrate that our business partners value our technology and our products, and their potential to make a difference to patients suffering from severe diseases.
DESPITE SIGNIFICANT LEVELS OF ACTIVITY, YOUR CASH POSITION REMAINED STRONG LAST YEAR. With many potentially attractive assets and a powerful and widely applicable technology platform, it has been critical to plan ahead
BUSINESS SECTION