China-based Shanghai Junshi Biosciences Co., Ltd (HKG: 1877, SHA: 688180) has announced a licensing agreement with Denmark-based LEO Pharma A/S, granting the dermatology specialist exclusive rights to store, distribute, promote, market, and sell its PD-1 inhibitor, toripalimab, in the European Union (EU), the European Economic Area (EEA), Switzerland, and the United Kingdom.
Agreement Details
Under the terms of the agreement, LEO Pharma will pay Junshi Biosciences an upfront fee of EUR 15 million (USD 15.6 million), alongside potential milestone payments and double-digit sales commissions based on net sales. This partnership aims to expand the reach of toripalimab in key European markets, leveraging LEO Pharma’s expertise in dermatology and oncology.
Toripalimab: Regulatory Milestones
Toripalimab was the first domestically developed PD-1 inhibitor approved in China (in December 2018) as a second-line treatment for melanoma. The drug has since received a total of ten indication approvals in China. In September of last year, toripalimab was approved in the EU for use in combination with cisplatin and gemcitabine for the first-line treatment of adult patients with recurrent, unresectable, or metastatic nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Additionally, it was approved for use in combination with cisplatin and paclitaxel for the first-line treatment of unresectable advanced, recurrent, or metastatic esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). These indications were also approved in the UK two months later.-Fineline Info & Tech
