Biocytogen Enters into Agreement with Merck to Advance Antibody-Conjugated Lipid-Based Delivery Solutions

BEIJING--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Sep 3, 2025--

Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals (Beijing) Co., Ltd. (Biocytogen, HKEX: 02315), a global biotechnology company that drives the research and development of novel antibody-based drugs with innovative technologies and Merck, a leading science and technology company, have entered into an evaluation and option agreement to advance the development of antibody-conjugated lipid-based delivery solutions for nucleic acid payloads, such as antibody-conjugated lipid nanoparticle (LNP).

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Under the terms of the agreement, Biocytogen will provide proprietary, fully human antibodies derived from its RenMice ® platform for evaluation in Merck’s antibody-conjugated LNP services. Merck has been granted an exclusive option to acquire rights to selected antibody assets in return for fees and royalties on sales and sublicenses.

“We are excited to collaborate again with Merck to explore the potential of antibody-conjugated lipid-based delivery systems,” said Dr. Yuelei Shen, President and CEO of Biocytogen. “This collaboration highlights the versatility of our fully human antibody platforms and the broad applications of antibodies beyond traditional therapeutics. By combining our antibody discovery expertise with Merck’s established capabilities in LNPs, we look forward to accelerating the development of next-generation nucleic acid delivery solutions.”

“This collaboration will strengthen Merck's position in providing LNP-based drug delivery solutions." said Dr. Kahina Lang, Executive Director, Head of Next Gen Drug Delivery at Merck. “We will be able to further improve the targeting specificity with our innovative design of antibody-conjugated LNPs. Our customers will gain access to a more comprehensive portfolio of delivery service offerings."

About Biocytogen

Biocytogen (HKEX: 02315) is a global biotechnology company that drives the research and development of novel antibody-based drugs with innovative technologies. Founded on gene editing technology, Biocytogen leverages genetically engineered proprietary RenMice ® (RenMab ™ / RenLite ® / RenNano ® / RenTCR mimic™) platforms for fully human monoclonal/bispecific/multispecific antibody discovery, bispecific antibody-drug conjugate discovery, nanobody discovery and TCR mimic antibody discovery, and has established a sub-brand, RenBiologics™, to explore global partnerships for an off-the-shelf library of more than 1,000,000 fully human antibody sequences against over 1000 targets for worldwide collaboration. As of June 30, 2025, approximately 280 therapeutic antibody and multiple clinical asset co-development/out-licensing/transfer agreements and over 50 target-nominated RenMice ® licensing projects have been established around the globe, including several partnerships with multinational pharmaceutical companies (MNCs). Biocytogen pioneered the generation of drug target knock-in humanized models for preclinical research, and currently provides a few thousand off-the-shelf animal and cell models under the company's sub-brand, BioMice™, along with preclinical pharmacology and gene-editing services for clients worldwide. Headquartered in Beijing, Biocytogen has branches in China (Haimen Jiangsu, Shanghai), USA (Boston, San Francisco, San Diego), and Germany (Heidelberg). For more information, please visit https://biocytogen.com.

About Merck

Merck, a leading science and technology company, operates across life science, healthcare and electronics. More than 62,000 employees work to make a positive difference to millions of people’s lives every day by creating more joyful and sustainable ways to live. From providing products and services that accelerate drug development and manufacturing as well as discovering unique ways to treat the most challenging diseases to enabling the intelligence of devices – the company is everywhere. In 2024, Merck generated sales of € 21.2 billion in 65 countries.

Scientific exploration and responsible entrepreneurship have been key to Merck’s technological and scientific advances. This is how Merck has thrived since its founding in 1668. The founding family remains the majority owner of the publicly listed company. Merck holds the global rights to the Merck name and brand. The only exceptions are the United States and Canada, where the business sectors of Merck operate as MilliporeSigma in life science, EMD Serono in healthcare, and EMD Electronics in electronics.

Biocytogen Enters into Agreement with Merck to Advance Antibody-Conjugated Lipid-Based Delivery Solutions

KAMPALA, Uganda (AP) — Vote counting was underway Friday in Uganda’s tense presidential election, which was held a day earlier amid an internet shutdown, voting delays and complaints by an opposition leader who said some of his polling agents had been detained by the authorities.

Opposition leader Bobi Wine said Thursday he was unable to leave his house and that his polling agents in rural areas were abducted before voting started, undermining his efforts to prevent electoral offenses such as ballot stuffing.

Wine is hoping to end President Yoweri Museveni's four-decade rule in an election during which the military was deployed and heavy security was posted outside his house near Kampala, the Ugandan capital, after the vote.

The musician-turned-politician wrote on X on Thursday that a senior party official in charge of the western region had been arrested, adding there was “massive ballot stuffing everywhere.”

Rural Uganda, especially the western part of the country, is a ruling-party stronghold, and the opposition would be disadvantaged by not having polling agents present during vote counting.

To try to improve his chances of winning, Wine had urged his supporters to “protect the vote” by having witnesses document alleged offenses at polling stations, in addition to deploying official polling agents.

Wine faced similar setbacks when he first ran for president five years ago. Museveni took 58% of the vote, while Wine got 35%, according to official results. Wine said at the time that the election had been rigged in favor of Museveni, who has spoken disparagingly of his rival.

Museveni, after voting on Thursday, said the opposition had infiltrated the 2021 election and defended the use of biometric machines as a way of securing the vote in this election.

Museveni has served the third-longest tenure of any African leader and is seeking to extend his rule into a fifth decade. The aging president’s authority has become increasingly dependent on the military, which is led by his son, Muhoozi Kainerugaba.

Uganda has not witnessed a peaceful transfer of presidential power since independence from British colonial rule six decades ago.

Voters line up to cast their ballots at a polling station, during the presidential election, in the capital, Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

Election officials count ballots after the polls closed for the presidential election at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

An election official holds up unmarked ballots during the vote count after polls closed for the presidential election, at a polling center in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

A political representative speaks as he works to observe and verify the counting of ballots after polls closed in the presidential election at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)

A supporter of leading opposition candidate Bobi Wine cheers while watching election officials count ballots, after polls closed at a polling station in Kampala, Uganda, Thursday, Jan. 15, 2026. (AP Photo/Brian Inganga)