Zai Lab Ltd. and Blueprint Medicines Corp. have inked an exclusive collaboration and license agreement for the development and commercialization of two candidates for the potential treatment of patients with EGFR-driven non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) in greater China, where Clarivate forecasts total NSCLC market sales are poised to grow from $3.2 billion in 2020 to $9.5 billion in 2030.
Antengene Corp. Ltd. has formed a partnership with Legochem Biosciences Inc. to jointly develop new antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) primarily for cancer. The partners will integrate antibodies from Antengene with Legochem’s ADC technology.
Shanghai Pharmaceutical Holding Co. Ltd. out-licensed global rights of its antitumor small-molecule chemical drug, SPH-6162, to U.S.-based Huya Bioscience International LLC in a deal worth up to $292.5 million, plus a sales commission of 3% to 6%.
Fosun Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. has acquired a 73% stake of Antejin Biotech Co. Ltd. in a merger and acquisition deal worth up to ¥4.006 billion (US$626.2 million) to expand its pipeline in the field of bacterial vaccines. To kick off, Shanghai-based Fosun purchased about 32.52% equity interest in Antejin from nine shareholders for about ¥1.108 billion in cash.
Beigene Ltd., which in 2019 parlayed exclusive rights to distribute and promote Abraxane (paclitaxel) in China into more than $111 million in revenue, is contesting Celgene parent Bristol Myers Squibb Co.’s cancellation of the deal in arbitration proceedings at the International Chamber of Commerce.
In a deal that could be worth more than $450 million, Olix Pharmaceuticals Inc. and Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. have agreed to discover, develop, and commercialize siRNA therapeutics for various liver-based targets implicated in cardiovascular, metabolic, and other indications.
In its first big pharma deal since it was founded around a cell programming technology in 2009, Immusoft Corp. signed Takeda Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. to a research collaboration and license option targeting rare inherited metabolic disorders. The agreement brings an undisclosed up-front fee and research funding to Immusoft, which is also eligible to earn more than $900 million if all options are exercised and all milestones hit.
DUBLIN – Silence Therapeutics plc has entered the Chinese market through a partnering deal with Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co. Ltd. that involves developing short interfering RNA (siRNA) drugs against three undisclosed targets. The London-based firm is getting $16 million up front and could earn as much as $1.3 billion in development, regulatory and commercial milestones across the alliance. It will also receive tiered sales royalties, ranging from low double digits to mid-teens in percentage terms.
With a growing number of deals worth $1 billion or more, 2021 values are slowly inching past 2020’s record year, as mergers and acquisitions also move higher, indicating a potentially stronger second half of the year.
Tracon Pharmaceuticals Inc. tapped Biocytogen Pharmaceuticals Co. Ltd.’s wholly owned subsidiary, Eucure Biopharma Co. Ltd., for U.S. rights to CTLA4 antibody YH-001, which it plans to use in immunotherapy studies in combination with its PD-L1 inhibitor.