AstraZeneca (AZ) has entered into an exclusive licence agreement with Chinese biotech Usynova for global rights to preclinical small molecule drug candidate UA022, with the deal worth almost $420m.
UA022 targets the KRAS G12D mutation, the most common KRAS mutation in cancer and commonly found in pancreatic, colorectal and non-small cell lung cancer.
Despite KRAS G12D accounting for approximately 26% of all KRAS mutations, there are currently no approved drugs specifically targeting it.
According to Usynova, which is also known as Yousen Jianheng Biopharmaceutical, UA022 has already demonstrated potent anti-cancer activity, a favourable safety profile and good oral bioavailability in preclinical models.
Dr Hu Tao, co-founder and chief executive officer of Usynova, said: “KRAS G12D is the most common KRAS mutation in cancer, but there are currently no approved treatments for KRAS treatment options for G12D.
“We are pleased to enter into this agreement with AZ, a leading global biopharmaceutical company, to evaluate the therapeutic potential of UA022.”
Under the terms of the agreement, AZ will pay Usynova $24m upfront, as well as potential development and commercialisation milestone payments of up to $395m and tiered royalties on net sales.
In exchange, AZ will receive an exclusive global licence to research, develop and commercialise UA022.
Stephen Fawell, vice president and head of development, oncology research and development at AZ, said the agreement was “an exciting opportunity” that could “accelerate the development of potential new treatments for patients whose tumours carry the KRAS G12D”.
The deal comes just over two weeks after AZ entered into an exclusive licence agreement with China’s Eccogene for global rights to an investigational once-daily oral drug for cardiometabolic diseases.
The agreement, worth over $1.8bn, grants AZ exclusive rights to develop and commercialise ECC5004, which belongs to a promising class of drugs in the cardiometabolic disease space known as GLP-1 receptor agonists.
The candidate is currently being evaluated in an early-stage trial of healthy participants and patients with type 2 diabetes and has shown “good tolerability and encouraging glucose and body weight reduction across the dose levels tested compared to placebo,” AZ said at the time of the announcement.