With a U.S. biotech identified as One Bio, Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has inked an out-licensing deal potentially worth $1.05 billion for its asthma and chronic sinusitis-targeting drug, SHR-1905. The latest deal gives One Bio exclusive rights to develop, produce and commercialize SHR-1905 worldwide, excluding the greater China territory.
Artificial intelligence (AI) drug discovery specialist Insilico Medicine Inc. is progressing INS018-055, its lead compound to phase II trials for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, a chronic lung disease that results in progressive and irreversible decline in lung function.
Edding Group Co. Ltd. announced June 23 it filed for an IPO on the Hong Kong Exchange – news that comes amid a steep drop in China’s biopharma IPO market forecasting sluggish activity in a near-frozen “capital winter.”
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.
Lee’s Pharmaceutical (HK) Ltd. and its affiliate, Zhaoke Pharmaceutical (Hefei) Co. Ltd., expanded their rights to lucinactant Surfaxin, lyophilized lucinactant Surfaxin LS and Aerosurf from Windtree Therapeutics Inc. in a $78.9 million global license deal to develop and commercialize the candidates for the treatment of preterm infants with respiratory distress syndrome and other potential indications.
Japan’s Healios K.K. is in discussions with Japan’s Pharmaceutical and Medical Devices Agenc about the regulatory path forward for its Multistem somatic stem cell products, for which it conducted phase II/III trials in ischemic stroke and a phase II trial in acute respiratory distress syndrome.
Structure Therapeutics Inc. raised $33 million in a financing round to speed up clinical trials of its lead assets targeting chronic diseases and to improve its technology platform. Previously known as Shouti Inc., the company also has rebranded itself as Structure to “reflect its foundation in structural biology and computational design.”
Bridge Biotherapeutics Inc. inked an exclusive in-license agreement for Shaperon Inc.’s G protein-coupled receptor 19 (GPCR19) agonist, BBT-209, a potential treatment for idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Bridge will pay Shaperon ₩2 billion (US$1.63 million) up front. The potential deal value, which includes up-front, milestone, and royalty payments, is ₩30 billion.
Bridge Biotherapeutics Inc. has signed an exclusive option-to-license agreement for Cellionbiomed Inc.’s preclinical ion channel modulator, BBT-301, thus adding a second idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) candidate to its fibrotic diseases portfolio. The company hopes to enter the clinic with the drug in the U.S. by the end of 2022.