Celltrion (068270.KS) has licensed KG013, an autoimmune drug candidate, from Kyzen. With the deal, Celltrion has built a pipeline of three autoimmune drug candidates, including a fetal Fc receptor inhibitor licensed from the same company last year.
Celltrion said on the 22nd that it signed a global license-in agreement with Kyzen, a biotech firm based in Maryland, for the autoimmune drug candidate KG013. The deal is worth up to $580.5 million, or about 769.5 billion won, combining an upfront payment with development, regulatory and commercialization milestones. Royalties based on net sales will be paid separately once the drug is commercialized. Celltrion holds exclusive global development and sales rights, while Kyzen retains the right to participate in co-promotion in the Korean market.
KG013 is an antibody drug candidate that targets APRIL, a signaling protein involved in the survival and function of antibody-producing B cells, to treat immune disorders including IgA nephropathy (IgAN). Celltrion expects the candidate to be suited for long-term treatment of IgA nephropathy by reducing pathogenic IgA.
The agreement is the company's second with Kyzen, following the licensing of two candidates including an FcRn inhibitor last year. Celltrion now holds three autoimmune drug candidates in total. The company expects synergy between the FcRn inhibitor KG006 and KG013, which suppresses the production of IgA and IgM, as the two work in a complementary manner.
"Our next-generation autoimmune pipeline has become significantly stronger through strategic open innovation," a Celltrion official said. "We will maximize synergy with our existing core product portfolio to maintain a clear competitive edge in the global autoimmune treatment market."
Kyzen is a drug developer founded in the United States in 2022 by Shin Min-jae, a former HanAll Biopharma executive, and is preparing for a KOSDAQ listing. The company is developing multi-antibody drugs based on PDEG, its proprietary platform technology that degrades pathogenic autoantibodies.