China’s Hansoh Pharmaceutical said on Monday that its units have entered a partnership and licensing deal with Roche’s F. Hoffmann-La Roche covering a portfolio of antibody drug conjugate programs, potentially worth more than 15 billion dollars. Hansoh will receive an upfront payment of 400 million dollars, a first anniversary payment of 110 million dollars, and further milestone payments.
Hansoh will lead early development of the programs until global Phase Ia clinical trials are complete. Roche will then develop them worldwide, except in mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan, where Hansoh keeps the rights to develop, register and sell them. Hansoh also has the option to take part in developing up to two programs outside those markets.
The two companies have partnered before, on colorectal cancer treatments, including Roche’s earlier licence of Hansoh’s CDH17 ADC. The structure is the now familiar one for China to West licensing: the Chinese originator is paid for discovery and early clinical work, the Western major funds and runs global late stage development, and the headline total depends on milestones that most programs never reach. The committed cash at signing is the 400 million dollar upfront payment.