Laekna Inc., a Shanghai-based company that recently completed an $18.5 million series A financing led by Orbimed Asia, has licensed rights to develop and commercialize two cancer-focused oral Akt kinase inhibitors from Novartis AG. The deal gives the Swiss drugmaker an equity stake in the Chinese company as well as undisclosed up-front and development milestone payments, plus potential royalties on future sales. Laekna, which has indicated plans to seek regulatory approvals in China and beyond, said that it has "mapped out several clear registration paths for NDA approval" for the drugs.