AriBio Co., Ltd, a South Korea-based pharmaceutical company, has announced an expansion of its previous licensing agreement with Samjin Pharmaceutical (KRX: 005500) to include the China market for its Alzheimer’s disease drug candidate, AR1001. The new deal, which grants exclusive marketing rights to the drug in China, is valued at a cumulative USD 770 million. The terms include an upfront payment of KRW 120 billion (USD 90 million), with additional milestone payments and royalty commitments that could raise the total potential deal value to RMB 5.59 billion (USD 770 million). This expansion builds upon Samjin’s initial deal for AR1001 rights in South Korea, which was worth KRW 100 billion (USD 74 million).
AR1001 is a PDE5 inhibitor, a class of drugs more commonly recognized for their use as vasodilators in treating erectile dysfunction, with well-known products such as Viagra (sildenafil) and Cialis (tadalafil). The enzyme phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) is expressed in vascular myocytes, neurons, and glia, and long-term use of sildenafil has been linked to a lower risk of Alzheimer’s. Animal studies have indicated that PDE5 inhibitors can enhance synaptic function and cognitive ability. AR1001 is currently undergoing a global Phase III clinical trial at sites in the US, UK, and South Korea, with IND approvals in China and the EU anticipated shortly.- Flcube.com
