Benzinga | Mar 8, 2021 08:50AM EST

Aridis, Kermode Enter In Licensing And Discovery Agreement For Zoonotic Viruses

Aridis Pharmaceuticals Inc (NASDAQ: ARDS) has entered into an out-licensing and product discovery agreement with a privately-held Kermode Biotechnologies Inc.

* Kermode works on vaccines and mAbs for zoonotic viruses, which are animal viruses that can infect humans.

* Kermode will fund for one year the discovery of product candidates for the African Swine Fever Virus (ASFV), with an option for swine influenza virus.

* It will retain the exclusive rights to mAbs and vaccines for veterinary uses discovered in the collaboration.

* Aridis will grant a non-exclusive license to the APEX platform and apply it to discover vaccines and mAbs to ASFV.

* Aridis will have the rights for any products for human uses discovered in the collaboration.

* APEX platform is a monoclonal antibody pathogen discovery platform developed by Aridis.

* Price Action: ARDS shares closed 3.4% lower at $5.43 on Monday.