On January 13, 2020 EUSA Pharma (EUSA) and BeiGene, Ltd. (NASDAQ: BGNE; HKEX: 06160) reported that they have entered into an exclusive development and commercialization agreement for the orphan biologic products SYLVANT (siltuximab) and QARZIBA▼ (dinutuximab beta) in Greater China (Press release, EUSA Pharma, JAN 13, 2020, View Source [SID1234553096]).
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Under the terms of the agreement, EUSA has granted BeiGene exclusive rights to SYLVANT in Greater China and to QARZIBA▼in mainland China. Under the agreement, BeiGene will fund and undertake all clinical development and regulatory submissions in the territories, and will launch and commercialize both products once approved. EUSA will receive an upfront payment and be eligible to receive payments upon the achievement of regulatory and commercial milestones up to a total of $160 million. EUSA will also be eligible to receive tiered royalties on future product sales.
"Our teams are excited to work with EUSA to commercialize SYLVANT and QARZIBA, two important biologics which are already available to patients with rare diseases outside of China," said Xiaobin Wu, Ph.D., General Manager of China and President of BeiGene. "This collaboration further demonstrates our commitment to bringing high quality therapies to people in China and around the world."
Lee Morley, Chief Executive Officer of EUSA Pharma, said, "This exclusive agreement with BeiGene represents an important milestone for EUSA as we deliver on our promise to bring our innovative cancer and rare disease therapies to patients around the world. BeiGene brings to our collaboration exceptional development and commercialization capabilities in China and a clear focus on delivering innovative, targeted oncology medicines. We look forward to working together over the coming months to ensure these important orphan products are made available to Chinese patients."
SYLVANT is currently approved in more than 40 countries worldwide for the treatment of idiopathic multicentric Castleman’s disease (iMCD), a rare, life-threatening and debilitating orphan condition of the lymph nodes and related tissues. QARZIBA▼ is the only EMA approved targeted immunotherapy for the treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma, an aggressive neoplasm and the most common childhood solid tumor that originates outside of the brain. Both products have been listed for fast-track approval in China by the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) via its Review and Approval Procedures for Urgently-Needed Pharmaceutical Drugs Developed Overseas.
Jefferies International Limited acted as exclusive advisor to EUSA on the transaction.
About QARZIBA▼ (dinutuximab beta)
QARZIBA▼ is a monoclonal antibody that is specifically directed against the carbohydrate moiety of disialoganglioside 2 (GD2), which is overexpressed on neuroblastoma cells. Dinutuximab beta was approved by the European Commission in 2017 and is indicated for the treatment of high-risk neuroblastoma in patients aged 12 months and above, who have previously received induction chemotherapy and achieved at least a partial response, followed by myeloablative therapy and stem cell transplantation, as well as patients with history of relapsed or refractory neuroblastoma, with or without residual disease. Prior to the treatment of relapsed neuroblastoma, any actively progressing disease should be stabilised by other suitable measures. In patients with a history of relapsed/refractory disease and in patients who have not achieved a complete response after first line therapy, dinutuximab beta should be combined with interleukin-2 (IL-2).
About SYLVANT (siltuximab)
SYLVANT is a monoclonal antibody that blocks the action of interleukin-6 (IL-6), a multifunctional cytokine detected at elevated levels in iMCD patients. SYLVANT is approved in a number of jurisdictions and indicated for the treatment of patients with multicentric Castleman’s disease (MCD) who are human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) negative and human herpesvirus-8 (HHV-8) negative. iMCD is a rare, life-threatening and debilitating lymphoproliferative disorder, which causes abnormal overgrowth of immune cells and shares many symptomatic and histological features with lymphoma.