California biotech Inhibrx
released
interim results today from a Phase I trial looking at a recombinant fusion protein program, INBRX-101. The study looked at patients with alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency, or AATD.
The study revealed interim pharmacokinetic data from 21 patients with AATD, all with the ZZ mutation of the SERPINA1 gene, and interim safety data are from 24 patients with AATD. There were no drug-related severe or serious adverse events at doses up to and including 120 mg/kg single dose, and 80mg/kg multi-dose, according to a company release. Adverse events were predominantly mild with a few moderate events.
More results regarding patients’ functional AAT and bronchoalveolar lavage data are expected in the first half of next year, looking at three INBRX-101 doses of 80 or 120 mg/kg IV administered every three weeks.
Share prices
$INBX
went on a high after the announcement, increasing over 25% before the market open and hovering up 20% to 25% after the opening bell.
“These initial data demonstrate the potential of INBRX-101 to significantly improve treatment for patients with AATD by maintaining them in the normal range of functional AAT and reducing infusions from 52 annually to possibly as few as 12 annually,” said Inhibrx CEO Mark Lappe.
Swiss biotech Helsinn announced today a new licensing and distribution partnership with Shanghai-based Fosun,
effective October 1
.
This partnership with Fosun grants the Chinese biotech license to commercialize and sell three Helsinn drugs in China, Hong Kong and Macau — anti-nausea and anti-vomiting drugs Aloxi and Akynzeo, along with anorexia and malignancy-associated weight loss treatment anamorelin for patients with NSCLC.
Additionally, Helsinn’s Chinese subsidiary will provide a Fosun subsidiary with certain medical, marketing and commercial services, including co-promotion services in Shanghai.
Wu Yifang, Chairman and CEO of Fosun Pharma, commented: “We are looking forward to working with Helsinn and to making these therapies available to patients in these territories as soon as possible.”
In another Asia-focused collaboration, China’s Hansoh Pharma and South Korea RNA biotech OliX Pharmaceuticals are teaming up in a new licensing and collaboration agreement.
The deal will be to discover, develop and commercialize siRNA therapeutics for certain indications in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau, according to a
company statement
.
While OliX will use its platform to discover and develop candidates for targets in cardiovascular, metabolic, and other diseases associated with the liver, Hansoh will have exclusive commercial rights to these candidates in the four Asian markets.
OliX will receive an initial upfront payment of $6.5 million, with up to $450 million in milestones plus royalties, along with rights to the therapeutic candidates in the rest of the world.
“We are thrilled to partner with OliX Pharmaceuticals, a leader in siRNA development with an established clinical stage portfolio, and look forward to utilizing their technology platform in our development process,” said Hansoh board executive director Eliza Sun.
In yet another collaboration announced
today
, CombiGene and Spark signed an agreement to exclusively collaborate on the former’s focal epilepsy gene therapy — with a $300M+ licensing deal to boot.
The agreement gives Roche-owned Spark the worldwide license to develop, manufacture and commercialize CG01 while CombiGene continues parts of the preclinical program in tandem with the company.
CombiGene will get $8.5 million upfront from Spark as part of the arrangement — with an additional $50 million in milestones and a potential grand total of $328.5 million. And that does not include royalties, either.
Once the gene therapy is commercialized, CombiGene is eligible for tiered royalties based on net sales.
“We look forward to advancing this potentially transformative therapy together with Spark for the benefit of a patient group in need of better treatments,” said CombiGene CEO Jan Nilsson.