In an exclusive global licensing and development deal, Astellas Pharma Inc. is building on a single vaccine deal it struck with Immunomic Therapeutics Inc. (ITI) earlier this year to capture rights to ITI's full portfolio of allergy-focused DNA vaccines. The agreement carries $300 million for ITI up front plus 10 percent royalties of net sales of the potential products while leaving ITI with all rights to additional applications of the company's lysosomal associated membrane protein vaccine, or LAMP-vax, technology. Read More
HONG KONG – Genes are no longer patentable in Australia after the country's highest court overturned last week two earlier decisions by a federal court and ruled that a gene linked to an increased risk of breast and ovarian cancer cannot be patented. Read More
HONG KONG – Chinese biopharmaceutical company Luye Pharma Group Ltd. (LPG) spiked in Hong Kong trading last week after getting a green light from the U.S. FDA on the new drug application (NDA) for an investigational schizophrenia drug. Read More
HONG KONG – In a deal that is likely to open the door of the Chinese and global market to an early stage South Korean drug developer, 3Sbio Inc (HK:2530) signed an exclusive agreement to develop, manufacture and market an antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) that targets the HER2 pathway for cancer. The deal with Alteogen Inc. (KS:196170), of Daejeon, South Korea, covers Mainland China, Hong Kong and Macau and includes an undisclosed up-front payment as well as further milestone payments and royalties for the development of ALT-P7. Read More
SHANGHAI – Eli Lilly and Co. has deepened its relationship with Chinese biotech, Innovent Biologics Inc. in an immuno-oncology deal worth potentially $1 billion in milestone and royalty payments if all goes according to plan over the next decade. Read More