Shenzhen Salubris Pharmaceuticals Co., Ltd, a Chinese pharmaceutical company listed on the Shenzhen Stock Exchange (SHE: 002294), has entered into a licensing agreement with fellow Chinese firm YolTech Therapeutics. The agreement grants Salubris exclusive rights to research and development, regulatory filings, manufacturing, and commercial sales of YOLT-101 in mainland China.
The financial terms of the deal include an upfront payment and R&D milestone payment of up to RMB 205 million, with the potential for an additional sales milestone payment of up to RMB 830 million. The agreement also encompasses a sales commission based on annual net sales.
YOLT-101 is an innovative PCSK9-targeted base gene editing therapy in development for the treatment of familial hypercholesterolemia. The drug comprises YolBE (base editor) and guide RNA (gRNA) encapsulated within lipid nanoparticles (LNP). Utilizing liver targeting via LNP, the therapy is internalized into liver cells via the low-density lipoprotein receptor (LDLR) on the hepatocyte surface. Once internalized, it releases the base editors and gRNA to form a YolBE gRNA complex. This complex targets specific PCSK9 gene sequences, undergoes base editing at precise sites to suppress gene expression, inhibits PCSK9-mediated LDLR degradation, enhances LDLR binding to LDL-C (low-density lipoprotein cholesterol), and effectively clears LDL-C from the bloodstream, addressing the underlying cause of familial hypercholesterolemia.- Flcube.com
