In a deal that could bring the company as much as $1.04 billion, Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Inc. will collaborate with Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. to co-develop and co-commercialize an investigational RNAi-based liver disease treatment. Arrowhead’s candidate, ARO-AAT, is designed to reduce mutant alpha-1 antitrypsin protein production, which causes the disease to progress. Arrowhead will receive a $300 million up-front payment on closing in addition to development, regulatory and commercial milestones that could total $740 million.

In a valuable new deal for Cstone Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd., Pfizer Inc. is taking a 9.9% stake in the company and licensing exclusive rights to commercialize its lead asset, the anti-PD-L1 antibody sugemalimab, in mainland China.

A nearly $2 billion global development and commercialization deal with Abbvie Inc. and a $418 million private placement have bolstered I-Mab Biopharma Co. Ltd.’s position globally. I-Mab framed the deal as being the largest out-licensing and global partnership transaction ever executed by a China-based biotech. Abbvie and I-Mab plan to develop and commercialize the anti-CD47 monoclonal antibody lemzoparlimab for treating multiple cancers globally, with the exception of China. Lemzoparlimab, also called TJC-4, is Shanghai-based I-Mab’s discovery and its lead cancer therapy. The company will get an up-front $180 million by licensing the highly differentiated antibody to Abbvie, along with a $20 million milestone payment based on phase I results.

LONDON – Ion Beam Applications SA (IBA) has taken a giant step into China, sealing a €100 million-plus (US$118.2 million) licensing deal with a local company to manufacture, install and maintain its proton beam cancer therapy systems.

HONG KONG – Celltrion Group is partnering with Intract Pharma Ltd. to jointly develop an oral tablet form of infliximab.