China-based Shanghai Fosun Pharmaceutical (Group) Co., Ltd (SHA: 600196, HKG: 2196) signed an exclusive licensing agreement with Swiss firm Neovii Pharmaceuticals AG, focusing on Neovii’s graft versus host disease (GvHD) therapy Grafalon (rabbit anti-human T-lymphocyte globulin, ATLG). Under the deal, Fosun gains development and commercialization rights to Grafalon in Greater China, including Mainland China, Hong Kong SAR, Macau SAR, and Taiwan. Neovii will receive upfront payments, regulatory and commercial sales milestones, and will supply Grafalon to Fosun. Financial details were not disclosed.
Grafalon’s Market Presence
Grafalon is already approved in China for use in transplantations and is included in the National Reimbursement Drug List (NRDL). The partners plan to expand Grafalon’s approved indications, initially targeting the prevention of GvHD following allogenic stem cell transplantation (SCT), and later moving into auto-immune and onco-hematology conditions. Previously known as “ATG-Fresenius S” and “ATG-F,” Grafalon was developed by Neovii and is used in over 50 countries to improve patient outcomes in transplantation medicine and to treat aplastic anemia in select markets.
Future Collaboration
The deal also paves the way for future licensing agreements for products in Neovii’s pipeline. Fosun has identified NB-15, a novel therapy for the ultra-rare disease mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalomyopathy (MNGIE), as a potential candidate for future collaboration.-Fineline Info & Tech
