The undisclosed milestone payment was triggered after Roche filed an investigational new drug (IND) application with the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the second (undisclosed) antibody produced under their development collaboration.

The two firms have an arrangement whereby Roche relies on Genmab to create human antibodies to some of its disease targets.

Under the scope of the collaboration Genmab stands to earn up to $100m (€73m) plus royalties and also may obtain the rights to develop products based on Roche's disease targets in some instances.

Meanwhile, the firm has recently regained the rights to the HuMax-TAC antibody from Merck Serono after relinquishing them to the drug heavy in May 2005.

The antibody binds to the interleukin-2 receptor (IL-2R) target, also known as TAC, to block the proliferation of activated T-cells that express the receptor and play an important role in inflammation. Potential applications include organ transplant rejection, graft versus host disease, T-cell leukaemia, Hodgkin's disease, and autoimmune diseases.

Genmab's CEO Lisa Drakeman said the firm will now "review the [antibody] programme internally to decide on future plans".

This is the second antibody Genmab has reacquired from Merck of late, after the German firm underwent a "portfolio review". As of June, Genmab regained the rights to Humax-CD4, after transferring them to Merck back in August 2005.

This antibody is being developed to treat non-cutaneous T-cell lymphoma and cutaneous T-cell lymphoma.

"HuMax-CD4 is a nice fit with the rest of Genmab's pipeline and may provide us with an additional commercial opportunity to move the company forward into the sales and marketing arena," said Drakeman.