Aug. 27 Company Quick Takes: GSK licenses Ionis HBV program; plus Adaptimmune-Noile, Purdue, Presage-BMS, Kyowa, Alexion, Viela, Kintai, OncoNano
GSK opts into Ionis' HBV program
Positive Phase II data prompted GlaxoSmithKline plc (LSE:GSK; NYSE:GSK) to exercise its option to license exclusive, worldwide rights to an antisense chronic HBV program from Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc. (NASDAQ:IONS). Ionis will receive a $25 million license fee and is eligible for up to $237 million in milestones plus tiered low double digit royalties for the program, which includes Phase II candidates IONIS-HBV-LRx and IONIS-HBVRx. The data will be presented at an upcoming meeting.
Adaptimmune, Noile to develop T cell therapies
Adaptimmune Therapeutics plc (NASDAQ:ADAP) partnered to co-develop IL-7 and CCL19 co-expressing SPEAR T cells with Noile-Immune Biotech Inc. (Tokyo, Japan) using its proliferation inducing and migration enhancing (PRIME) technology. Adaptimmune will have exclusive, worldwide rights to develop and commercialize any resulting products, and Noile will receive an undisclosed upfront payment and milestones totaling up to $312 million, plus mid-single digit royalties. The partners hope to have the first program ready for the clinic by 2021. ...