Although Pfizer Inc.’s COVID-19 oral antiviral candidate, Paxlovid (PF-07321332; ritonavir), has yet to be authorized anywhere, the push for compulsory licensing of the drug has begun.
Selecta Biosciences Inc. joined a licensing agreement with Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. to develop AAV-driven gene therapies for two lysosomal storage disorders that could bring Watertown, Mass.-based Selecta up to $1.124 billion. The payments depend upon hitting development or commercial milestones. Selecta is also receiving an undisclosed up-front payment and is eligible for tiered royalties on commercial sales.
Innovent Biologics Inc. has inked a $312 million licensing deal for the development and commercialization of Genfleet Therapeutics Inc.’s KRAS G12C inhibitor, GFH-925, in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Innovent also has additional option-in rights for global development and commercialization.
In a deal that could be worth up to $937.5 million, Biogen Inc. licensed rights to phase II-stage, brain-penetrant BTK inhibitor orelabrutinib from Innocare Pharma Ltd. for the treatment of multiple sclerosis (MS) and autoimmune diseases. It’s the first mega out-licensing deal for the Chinese firm, which will receive $125 million up front and is eligible to receive up to $812.5 million in potential development milestones and commercial payments, plus tiered royalties in the low to high teens on potential future net sales.
BEIJING, China and SANTANDER, Spain – Antengene Corp. and Calithera Biosciences Inc. entered a worldwide exclusive license agreement to develop and market the CD73 inhibitor CB-708 (ATG-037), as part of a push to use the small-molecule inhibitor to grab significant market share in Asia Pacific and global markets.
Shanghai and New Jersey-based Lianbio Co. Ltd. has made its second in-licensing deal in a week. This time, it obtained rights for omilancor and NX-13, both under development by Landos Biopharma Inc. for the potential treatment of ulcerative colitis (UC) and Crohn’s disease (CD) – plus eosinophilic esophagitis, for omilancor – in greater China, South Korea and seven ASEAN countries as part of a $218 million deal.
While partnering activities reached new highs in 2020, Chinese biopharma players found it more difficult to snatch good deals in a more competitive landscape. They now need to act faster and do more preparation work to seize partnering opportunities, panelists said at the Chinabio Partnering Forum.
HONG KONG – Canbridge Pharmaceuticals Inc. signed a collaboration and licensing agreement that could be worth $591 million, gaining global rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize gene therapy candidates from Logicbio Therapeutics Inc. for the treatment of Fabry and Pompe diseases. The candidates are based on Logicbio’s adeno-associated virus (AAV) sL65, the first produced from its Saavy capsid development platform.
PERTH, Australia – Sydney-based Kazia Therapeutics Ltd. has out-licensed its ovarian cancer drug, Cantrixil (TRX-E-002-1), to Sweden’s Oasmia Pharmaceutical AB in a deal worth up to $46 million.
Oasmia will pay $4 million up front, and development milestones worth up to $42 million and double-digit sales royalties.
