Partnering News: Astellas, Merck & Co., Teva & More
A roundup of bio/pharmaceutical partnering news from Astellas/AviadaBio, Merck & Co./Mestag, Sanofi/Orano Med, Teva/mAbxience and Viatris/Lexicon Pharmaceuticals.
* Astellas, AviadaBio In $2.23-Bn Gene-Therapy Pact
* Merck & Co., Mestag In $1.9-Bn Inflammatory Disease Drug Pact
* Sanofi, Orano Med Partner in $325-M Radiopharma Deal
* Teva, mAbxience Expand Biosimilars Pact
* Viatris in Licensing Pact for Lexicon’s Cardio Drug in Ex-US, European Markets
Astellas, AviadaBio In $2.23-Bn Gene-Therapy Pact
Astellas and AviadoBio, a London-based bio/pharmaceutical company, have entered an agreement for AviadoBio’s AVB-101, an investigationl gene therapy for treating certain forms of early-onset dementia, in a deal worth up to $2.23 billion ($30 million upfront, a $30-million equity investment by Astellas, and $2.18 billion in milestone payments).
AVB-101, in Phase I/II development, is an adeno-associated virus -based gene therapy for treating frontotemporal dementia with progranulin mutations (FTD-GRN), Under the agreement, Astellas will have the option to receive a worldwide exclusive license for the development and commercialization rights to AVB-101 in FTD-GRN and other potential indications. Astellas will make a $20-million equity investment and up to $30 million in upfront payments for the option to license AVB-101. AviadoBio is also eligible to receive up to $2.18 billion in license fees and milestone payments plus royalties if Astellas exercises its option.
Source: Astellas
Merck & Co., Mestag In $1.9-Bn Inflammatory Disease Drug Pact
Merck & Co. and Mestag Therapeutics, a bio/pharmaceutical company developing therapeutics for fibroblast-immune interactions, have entered an agreement to identify targets for the development of therapies against inflammatory diseases, in a deal worth up to $1.9 billion.
Under the agreement, Mestag will employ its Reversing Activated Fibroblast Technology (RAFT) platform, which models the pathogenic role of fibroblasts in human disease, to identify drug targets for Merck. Merck has the option to license one or more targets, up to a prespecified number, and will be responsible for the discovery, development, and commercialization of resulting therapeutics. In return, Mestag will receive an upfront payment and access fees and will be eligible to receive option fees as well as downstream payments with the potential to total $1.9 billion.
Source: Mestag Therapeutics
Sanofi, Orano Med Partner in $325-M Radiopharma Deal
Sanofi and Orano Med, a Paris-based developer and producer of radiopharmaceuticals, have entered into an agreement under which they will invest in a new entity, operating under the Orano Med brand, and focused on the discovery, design, and clinical development of radioligand therapies (RLTs) based on lead-212 (212Pb) alpha-emitting isotopes.
The agreement follows Sanofi’s announcement of an exclusive licensing agreement with Orano Med and RadioMedix, a Houston, Texas-based bio/pharma company, to advance RLTs in rare cancers with a focus on one late-stage project, AlphaMedix (212Pb-dotamtate), a targeted alpha therapy currently being evaluated for treating adult patients with unresectable or metastatic, progressive somatostatin-receptor expressing neuroendocrine tumors.
Under the agreement, Sanofi will make an equity investment of EUR 300 million ($325 million) for an approximate 16% equity stake in the new entity valued at EUR 1.9 billion ($2.1 billion). This agreement is subject to standard regulatory approvals required for transactions of this nature.
Teva, mAbxience Expand Biosimilars Pact
Teva Pharmaceuticals and mAbxience, a Madrid-based biosimilars company and CDMO, have formed a new global licensing agreement for the development of an undisclosed anti PD-1 oncology biosimilar candidate. mAbxience is a Fresenius Kabi majority-owned group with partial ownership from Insud Pharma.
In April 2024, the companies formed a licensing pact for oncology biosimilars, and this new agreement adds an additional oncology biosimilar candidate and includes exclusive rights for multiple markets, including Europe and the US. Under the agreement, mAbxience will lead the development and production of the biosimilar, using its facilities in Spain and Argentina. Teva will manage regulatory approvals and oversee commercialization in the designated markets.
Source: Teva Pharmaceuticals
Viatris in Licensing Pact for Lexicon’s Cardio Drug in Ex-US, European Markets
Viatris and Lexicon Pharmaceuticals, a The Woodlands, Texas-based bio/pharmaceutical company, have entered an agreement under which Viatris obtained an exclusive license from Lexicon to commercialize Lexicon’s sotagliflozin, a cardiovascular drug, outside of the US and EU. Lexicon retains sole commercialization rights for sotagliflozin in the US and EU.
Sotagliflozin was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in May 2023 to reduce the risk of cardiovascular death, hospitalization for heart failure, and urgent heart failure visits in adults with heart failure or Type 2 diabetes mellitus, chronic kidney disease, and other cardiovascular risk factors.
Under the agreement, Viatris has acquired rights to sotagliflozin in all global markets outside of the US and EU in exchange for an upfront payment to Lexicon of $25 million, and the potential for contingent regulatory and sales milestone payments and tiered royalties ranging from low-double-digit to upper-teens on annual net sales. Viatris will be responsible for all regulatory and commercialization activities for sotagliflozin in the licensed territories. Lexicon will be responsible for providing clinical and commercial supply of sotagliflozin to Viatris at an agreed-upon transfer price.
Source: Lexicon Pharmaceuticals
