Convalife Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd. acquired global rights to develop and commercialize a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K) β/δ inhibitor from Karus Therapeutics Ltd.
Sumitovant Biopharma Ltd. subsidiary Urovant Sciences GmbH is out-licensing overactive bladder (OAB) treatment vibegron to Pierre Fabre Médicament to register and commercialize the drug in the EU, U,K, and Switzerland. Under the terms of the deal, Basel, Switzerland-based Urovant will receive up to $75 million in up-front payments, regulatory and sales milestones and royalties, while Urovant will retain full commercialization rights to vibegron in the U.S. and certain other markets.
Biopharma deals during the second quarter of 2022 fell short of each of the last two years with 379 completed deals valued at $36.9 billion, but the year is still the strongest to date. Thanks to the record-breaking first quarter, deals in the first half of this year are ahead of all other years, reaching a total value of $93.8 billion, 6.5% more than 2020, the next highest first half.
Beigene Ltd. has formed a partnership with Innorna Co. Ltd. to jointly develop messenger RNA (mRNA)-based therapeutics. Shenzhen, China-based Innorna will get an undisclosed up-front payment and is also eligible to receive additional payments based on development, regulatory and commercial milestones, as well as tiered royalties. Beigene will maintain exclusive global rights to the mRNA candidates co-developed in the deal.
Sunshine Guojian Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. has granted Xiling Lab Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. global rights to develop and commercialize the trastuzumab biosimilar Cipterbin (inetetamab) for antibody-drug conjugates (ADC) in a ¥1.03 billion (US$153 million) deal.
Shanghai Henlius Biotech Inc. has inked a deal to acquire greater China rights for two cancer-focused bifunctional sialidase programs from Palleon Pharmaceuticals Inc. In return, Palleon will receive an unspecified up-front payment and is eligible for up to $196.5 million in milestone payments.
London-based Invox Pharma Ltd. has announced plans to acquire F-star Therapeutics Inc. for $161 million to build up the presence of its parent company, Sino Biopharm Ltd., outside of China.
Astellas Pharma Inc. and Sutro Biopharma Inc. signed an exclusive global licensing deal under which Sutro will develop immunostimulatory antibody-drug conjugates (iADCs) for three biological targets for Astellas.
Singapore’s Agency for Science, Technology and Research (A*STAR) has inked a deal with Boehringer Ingelheim GmbH to develop and commercialize targeted cancer therapies.
Shanghai Henlius Biotech Inc. signed an exclusive licensing deal with Organon LLC under which Organon will in-license rights for two of Henlius’ internally developed biosimilar candidates for global commercialization, excluding China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.