MedImmune Inc of Gaithersburg, Maryland, has announced its intent to acquire privately held Cellective Therapeutics, Inc, a 5-person early-stage biopharmaceutical company. Cellective's portfolio includes developing preclinical novel therapeutic monoclonal antibodies targeting the B-cell surface antigens CD19, CD20, and CD22 for cancer and autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, and lupus. Incorporated in 2003 and founded by Dr. Thomas F. Tedder, chairman of the department of immunology at Duke University, Cellective raised $27.5 million in Series A financing in 2004. This funding was based on Tedder's technology, licensed from Duke University and Dana Farber Cancer Institute (an affiliate of Harvard Medical School). Funding was lead by Intersouth Partners and 7 other prominent venture partners including MedImmune Ventures, Inc, and Genentech, Inc. Terms of the all-cash deal were not provided by MedImmune, but the transaction with Cellective will result in a one-time charge that will reduce its 2005 earnings by approximately $0.20 per diluted share.