Simcere Pharmaceutical Group has out-licensed its autoimmune drug candidate SIM-0278 for all indications to Almirall SA in a deal worth up to $507 million. Simcere granted exclusive global rights to the candidate to Almirall for development and commercialization excluding mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan. In return, Almirall will pay Simcere $15 million up front.
Solid Biosciences Inc. found a way to continue its Duchenne muscular dystrophy push, inking a deal to acquire privately held Aavantibio Inc., at the same time nailing down $75 million by way of a private placement with institutional investors.
After two years of talks, privately held Ventus Therapeutics Inc. and Novo Nordisk A/S have signed an exclusive worldwide license deal to commercialize candidates from Ventus’ portfolio of peripherally restricted NLR pyrin domain-containing 3 (NLRP3) inhibitors. Along with Roche Holding AG’s September 2020 acquisition of Inflazome Ltd. and Novartis AG’s buyout of subsidiary IFM Tre in April 2019, this is another step by big players to get into the NLRP3 space.
Getinge AB reported a partnership with Medtronic plc for the Radiant stent, the first covered stent indicated for chimney endovascular aneurysm repair (ChEVAR). This new balloon-expandable stent graft for renal arteries obtained CE mark approval on Sept. 20.
Zai Lab Ltd. has agreed to pay $30 million up front to in-license from Seagen Inc. exclusive rights to the antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) Tivdak (tisotumab vedotin) in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. Seagen is also eligible to receive development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments of undisclosed value, as well as tiered royalties on net sales of the drug in Zai’s territory.
CRISPR-based cell therapies continued to gain steam Sept. 27 with the announcements of a potentially valuable big pharma collaboration and an ambitious global regulatory push.
Abpro Corp. and Celltrion Healthcare Inc. entered a global partnership valued at up to $1.75 billion involving ABP-102, a bispecific antibody targeting HER2-positive cancers, a move Abpro CEO Ian Chan said would help “accelerate this type of therapy for patients in need.”
Sino Biopharmaceutical Ltd. subsidiary Chia Tai-Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. has acquired greater China rights to lanifibranor from Inventiva SA in a deal worth up to $307 million.
Shares of Lava Therapeutics NV rocketed by more than 90% Sept. 26 as the company disclosed a licensing deal with Seagen Inc. to develop and commercialize preclinical-stage EGFR-targeting bispecific candidate LAVA-1223, which comes with $50 million in up-front funding and up to a potential $650 million in milestones. It also adds further validation for harnessing gamma-delta T cells to treat cancer, an approach that is growing increasingly popular.
Sino Biopharmaceutical Ltd. subsidiary Chia Tai-Tianqing Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. has acquired greater China rights to lanifibranor from Inventiva SA in a deal worth up to $307 million. Included in the deal are rights to develop and commercialize the drug in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macao, and Taiwan for the treatment of nonalcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) and other metabolic diseases.