Pharma company acquires faculty-founded biotech firm for $537M

Business success story Agensys is acquired by Astellas Pharma Inc.

Published Nov 28, 2007 2:43 PM

A business success story has both UCLA and a team of the university's enterprising scientists envisioning a brighter future for cancer research and patient care.

In 1996, a unique collaboration of leading UCLA scientists led by Arie Belldegrun founded the biotechnology company Agensys Inc. — and the company now stands to reap $537 million through an acquisition by Astellas Pharma Inc., making Agensys one of the largest Los Angeles-based private biotech firms poised to tackle therapeutic, fully human monoclonal antibody oncology research and drug development.

See the complete story in UCLA Today Online.