Cross-border startup Scineuro Pharmaceuticals Ltd., which focuses on central nervous system (CNS) diseases, inked a deal with Eli Lilly and Co. to license in the greater China rights of alpha-synuclein-targeted antibody therapies to follow the global drug development trend in this space.
HONG KONG – Irvine, Calif.-based Trigr Therapeutics Inc. has signed an exclusive licensing deal with Shanghai-based Elpiscience Biopharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., known as Kewang in China. The two companies will develop and commercialize TR-009 in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
The whopper deal between Biogen Inc. and Sage Therapeutics Inc. – a global collaboration and licensing deal involving the latter’s zuranolone (also known as SAGE-217) for major depressive disorder (MDD), postpartum depression (PPD) and other psychiatric disorders, as well as SAGE-324 for essential tremor (ET) and neurological disorders – drew mixed reviews from Wall Street. And, for Biogen investors, the would-be Alzheimer’s disease (AD) therapy aducanumab remains front of mind.
HONG KONG – Humanigen Inc. has executed its first licensing agreement in the Asia-Pacific region, in a deal worth up to $20 million that gives Telcon RF Pharmaceutical Inc. and KPM Tech Co. Ltd. the development and commercialization rights to lenzilumab for COVID-19 in South Korea and the Philippines.
PERTH, Australia – Melbourne-based Telix Pharmaceuticals Ltd. has linked up with Hong Kong-listed China Grand Pharmaceutical and Healthcare Holdings Ltd. (CGP) in a licensing and commercial deal worth AU$400 million (US$285 million) plus sales royalties.
HONG KONG – Chinese biotech companies, long in-licensors of innovative biopharma assets for the region, have started to reverse the flow by out-licensing domestically generated candidates to global players.
Nanjing, China-based Simcere Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. became the second Chinese player to seek assets from G1 Therapeutics Inc., of Research Park Triangle, N.C., this year. On Tuesday, it licensed trilaciclib, an intravenous CDK4/6 inhibitor, from G1 Therapeutics in a $170 million deal for Greater China rights.
BEIJING – U.S.-Taiwan biotech Acepodia Inc., of Burlingame, Calif., and Taipei, has licensed out two of its cell therapy candidates, ACE-1702 and ACE-1655, to Chinese CAR T therapy developer JW Therapeutics (Shanghai) Co. Ltd. to develop and commercialize them in China, Hong Kong and Macau. Acepodia will receive up-front and milestone payments from JW Therapeutics, plus royalties on sales.
The worldwide option and license agreement Alpine Immune Sciences Inc. drew up with Abbvie Inc. for ALPN-101, a dual CD28/ICOS co-stimulation antagonist for treating systemic lupus erythematosus and other autoimmune diseases, heartily strengthened Alpine’s stock and supports its planned operations into 2023.
PERTH, Australia – Melbourne-based Prescient Therapeutics Pty Ltd. is poised to develop next-generation CAR T therapies after signing an exclusive global licensing deal with the University of Pennsylvania for a universal immune receptor technology platform.