Kolon Bounces Back From Failed Japan Invossa Deal With Bigger Mundipharma Alliance

Kolon Life Science has reached a sizable license deal with Mundipharma for the development in Japan of the South Korean company’s first-in-class cell and gene therapy for osteoarthritis of the knee, easing uncertainties after an agreement with Mitsubishi Tanabe for the product collapsed last year.

Kolon Life and Mundipharma
Kolon Life and Mundipharma ink license agreement for Invossa • Source: Shutterstock

Mundipharma International Corp. Ltd. has become the new partner in Japan for South Korea firm Kolon Life Science Inc.’s cell and gene therapy Invossa (TC-C; tonogenchoncel-L), in a deal worth $591.7m plus sales royalties.

The agreement, which is the largest licensing-out deal for a South Korean pharma company for a single country and is...

Scrip Podcast

Keep up with the top pharma business news of the week. On the go.

Scrip brings you a weekly bulletin of top picks.

More from South Korea

Emerging Modalities Stand Out In Recovering Korean Deal Market

 
• By 

While Korean biopharma companies’ out-licensing deals have remained lackluster in the past couple of years, activity around emerging modalities, led by ADCs, have been increasing in line with global trends.

Korean Biopharma Financings Remain In Doldrums But Recovery In Sight?

 
• By 

As investor sentiment around Korean biopharma IPOs and financings remained tepid in the second quarter, companies turned to other ways of raising money, including rights offerings. But there are signs of recovery and upcoming catalysts, while on the M&A front Boryung divested a vaccine subsidiary to a private equity consortium. 

Korea Q2 Roundup: Hanmi Dispute Simmers, Emerging Obesity Focus

 
• By 

As it reported mixed second-quarter earnings, South Korea's pharma industry is increasingly turning to obesity pipeline assets. Meanwhile, leadership disputes among family members within Hanmi are resurfacing.

S.Biomedics’ Parkinson's Cell Therapy Shows Early Clinical Promise

 
• By 

A novel stem cell therapy for Parkinson’s disease developed by a Korean firm has shown what Citeline analysts describe as "very promising" early clinical results at a low dose after one year.

More from Focus On Asia

India Rare Diseases: Court Shows Path For Policy Action, Funding, Price Issues-- Test-2

A court order encompassing funding, drug pricing, clinical trials and overall policy implementation aspects is expected to bring about a paradigm shift in the treatment of rare diseases in India. Sarepta, Roche and Sanofi are among the key players that have been part of pricing discussions.

Innovent/GenFleet Score China’s First KRAS G12C Inhibitor Approval

 

The nod will help unlock a national market for the partners’ Dupert (fulzerasib) in which roughly 50,000 people are expected to be newly diagnosed with lung cancer harboring the KRAS G12C mutation in 2025. Meanwhile, two other homegrown rivals are also closing in on marketing clearances in China.

As More DLL3 Bispecifics Advance, Doctors Are Adjusting To CRS, ICANS

 
• By 

Amgen’s Imdelltra for small-cell lung cancer is one of two bispecific T-cell engagers approved for solid tumors, but data at the WCLC meeting show other DLL3-targeting BiTEs may be on the way.