AbCellera and Vertex Pharmaceuticals expanded their T-cell engager strategy with a new collaboration to discover, develop, manufacture, and commercialize multispecific T-cell engagers for autoimmune diseases and other conditions. AbCellera will lead discovery and early development, while Vertex funds all R&D costs and gains rights to advance and commercialize resulting candidates. The agreement includes $28 million in total upfront payments to AbCellera plus potential preclinical, development, regulatory, and commercial milestones and tiered royalties on net sales. Vertex’s inclusion of cell line and early manufacturing through Phase 1 is also part of the deal scope. The collaboration adds to a broader industry shift toward platform partnerships for next-generation TCE modalities, with Vertex seeking to build out beyond its current concentration in cystic fibrosis and other legacy franchises.