A roundup of bio/pharmaceutical partnering news from Merck & Co./Hansoh Pharma, Novo Nordisk/Photys Therapeutics, and Eli Lilly and Company/Innovent Biologics. 

* Merck & Co., Hansoh Pharma in $2-Bn GLP-1 Small-Molecule Drug Pact 
* Novo Nordisk, Photys Therapeutics In $186-M Cardio Disease Drug Pact 
* Lilly, Innovent Biologics in Distribution Pact for Cancer Drug in China 

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Merck & Co., Hansoh Pharma in $2-Bn GLP-1 Small-Molecule Drug Pact 
Merck & Co. and Hansoh Pharma, a Hong Kong-based bio/pharmaceutical company, have entered into an exclusive global license agreement for Hanosh Pharma’s HS-10535, an investigational preclinical oral small molecule GLP-1 receptor agonist, in a deal worth up to $2 billion ($112 million upfront and $1.9 billion in milestone payments). The companies announced the deal last month (December 18, 2024).

Under the agreement, Hansoh Pharma has granted Merck an exclusive global license to develop, manufacture, and commercialize HS-10535. Hansoh Pharma will receive an upfront payment of $112 million and is eligible to receive up to $1.9 billion in milestone payments associated with the development, regulatory approval and commercialization of the candidate, as well as royalties on sales. Hansoh Pharma may co-promote or solely commercialize HS-10535 in China subject to certain conditions. 

Source: Merck & Co. 

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Novo Nordisk, Photys Therapeutics In $186-M Cardio Disease Drug Pact 
Novo Nordisk and Photys Therapeutics, a Waltham, Massachusetts-based bio/pharmaceutical company, have entered a multi-year collaboration and license agreement to develop proximity-based therapeutics for a cardiometabolic disease target.  The companies announced the deal last month (December 18, 2024).

The collaboration combines Novo Nordisk’s expertise in cardiometabolic diseases with Photys’ proprietary Phics (PHosphorylation Inducing Chimeric Small molecules) technology, which induces proximity between a kinase and a target of interest to phosphorylate the target and thereby alter its biologic function. 

Under the agreement, Photys is eligible to receive up to $186 million in upfront, development, and commercial milestone payments, in addition to R&D funding and tiered royalty payments on commercial sales. Under the proposed R&D plan, Novo Nordisk and Photys will collaborate on multiple Phics molecules for the cardiometabolic target. Photys will advance the Phics molecules through preclinical development, at which point Novo Nordisk will further advance the Phics molecules through investigational new drug (IND)-enabling studies and clinical development. 

Source: Photys Therapeutics 

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Lilly, Innovent Biologics in Distribution Pact for Cancer Drug in China 
Eli Lilly and Company and Innovent Biologics, a Suzhou, China-based bio/pharmaceutical company focused, have entered a distribution and promotion agreement in mainland China regarding Lilly’s non-covalent (reversible) Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor, Jaypirca (pirtobrutinib, 100-mg & 50-mg tablets). The companies announced the deal last month (December 16, 2024).

Jaypirca utilizes a non-covalent binding mechanism to re-establish BTK inhibition in mantle cell lymphoma (MCL) patients previously treated with a covalent BTK inhibitor, including ibrutinib, acalabrutinib, zanubrutinib, or orelabrutinib, and extends the benefit of targeting the BTK pathway, according to information from Innovent. The drug was approved by the US Food and Drug Administration in January 2023 and received approval from China’s National Medical Products Administration as a monotherapy for the treatment of adult patients with relapsed or refractory MCL after at least two types of systemic therapy, including a BTK inhibitor.

Lilly is conducting global Phase III development programs (including in China), in first-line and relapse or refractory patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma, and BTK inhibitor-naïve relapse or refractory MCL, to explore monotherapy or combination therapy.

Under the agreement, Innovent will be responsible for the importation, marketing, distribution, and promotion of Jaypirca, and Lilly will be responsible for the R&D and post-market medical affairs of Jaypirca. 

Source: Innovent Biologics