AbCellera and Vertex Pharmaceuticals agreed to collaborate on discovery, early development, manufacturing and commercialization of multispecific T-cell engagers for autoimmune diseases and other conditions. Vertex will fund all R&D costs and retain rights to develop and commercialize resulting programs, while AbCellera receives upfront payments and eligibility for milestones and royalties. The deal economics include $28 million in total upfront payments to AbCellera, alongside structured milestone payments across development, regulatory, and commercialization stages. The agreement also leaves open Phase 1 execution pathways where AbCellera could perform select development and manufacturing activities. For the TCE field, the key is the division of labor: AbCellera’s discovery engine is being paired with Vertex’s downstream development and commercialization capability, potentially speeding transition from platform hits into therapeutic assets. The collaboration adds a second major client relationship for AbCellera’s engager platform in a short timeframe.