South Korean biotech peers Celltrion Healthcare Co. Ltd. and Liscure Biosciences Co. Ltd. signed a deal to co-develop microbiome-based oral live biotherapeutic products for Parkinson's disease.
Indicating its continuing strategy to invest in antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs), Astrazeneca plc obtained exclusive global rights to Claudin 18.2 ADC CMG-901 from Keymed Biosciences Inc. and Lepu Biopharma Co. Ltd. in a deal worth up to $1.163 billion.
Innocare Pharma Ltd. said it is open to new collaborations after partner Biogen Inc. decided to terminate a global deal to develop and commercialize BTK inhibitor orelabrutinib, in development for multiple sclerosis and other autoimmune diseases. Notice of the termination, disclosed in Biogen’s fourth-quarter 2022 financial report, was “based on the contract term of ‘terminate for convenience,’” Innocare told BioWorld. “We do not know their internal decision-making process.”
Harbour Biomed Holdings Ltd. licensed exclusive U.S. rights to B7H4 x 4-1BB bispecific immune activator HBM-7008 to Cullinan Oncology Inc. in a deal worth up to $625 million. China-based Harbour will obtain a $25 million up-front payment and is eligible to receive up to $600 million in development, regulatory and sales-based milestones, as well as tiered royalties of up to 20% on U.S. commercial sales.
Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. licensed its EZH2 inhibitor, SHR-2554, to Treeline Biosciences Inc. in a deal worth more than $700 million. Treeline will be granted worldwide exclusive rights to the lymphoma drug, except for greater China, in exchange for an up-front payment of $11 million, development milestone payments of up to $45 million, and milestone payments of up to $650 million based on annual net sales once commercialization begins.
Corbus Pharmaceuticals Holdings Inc. signed a back end-loaded licensing deal worth up to $692.5 million with CSPC Megalith Biopharmaceutical Co. Ltd, a subsidiary of CSPC Pharmaceutical Group Ltd., for the latter’s Nectin-4-targeting antibody-drug conjugate CRB-701 (SYS-6002).
Zhimeng Biopharma Inc. found a global partner for its hepatitis B virus (HBV) program, licensing rights to GSK plc for CB-06, an oral small-molecule Toll-like receptor 8 agonist. Pending positive data from an ongoing phase I study, GSK will gain rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize the drug for chronic HBV infection, either for use in combination or as a sequential treatment with bepirovirsen.
In its first worldwide licensing deal in the cardiovascular space, Ji Xing Pharmaceuticals Ltd. acquired rights to preclinical-stage PB-6440, in development for diseases including hypertension, from Phasebio Pharmaceuticals Inc.
In a blow to Aussie regenerative medicine company Regeneus Ltd., Japan’s Kyocera Corp. has pulled out of a licensing deal for Regeneus’ lead mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) therapy, Progenza, for osteoarthritis of the knee for the Japan market.
Daewoong Pharmaceutical Ltd. has out-licensed greater China rights for its idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) candidate, bersiporocin (DWN-2088), to CS Pharmaceuticals Ltd. in a deal worth up to $336 million. Bersiporocin is a prolyl-tRNA synthetase inhibitor being developed by Daewoong for IPF and potentially other fibrotic indications.