image credit- shutterstock
Alumis Inc., a US-based clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company and Japan's Kaken Pharmaceutical Co. have entered into a collaboration and licensing agreement to develop, manufacture and commercialise ESK-001, a highly selective, next-generation oral tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor, for dermatology indications in Japan, with the option to expand the license to include rheumatological and gastrointestinal diseases.
Under the terms of the agreement, Alumis will receive $40 million in upfront and near-term co-development payments in 2025 to 2026, with the potential to earn up to approximately $140 million in additional payments based on the achievement of milestones, and field option payments.
Alumis is also eligible to receive tiered royalties ranging from the low double-digits into the twenties on aggregate net sales of ESK-001 in Japan. Kaken will be responsible for the clinical development, regulatory approvals and commercialization of ESK-001 in Japan, and Alumis will retain rights to ESK-001 in all other geographies. Kaken will also contribute to a portion of the global development costs of ESK-001.
“We are thrilled to announce this agreement with Kaken, a dermatology leader with significant reach and expertise in the Japanese market,” said Martin Babler, President and Chief Executive Officer of Alumis. “This partnership builds on the positive Phase 2 clinical data of ESK-001, our next-generation oral TYK2 inhibitor, supporting our objectives to unlock its full therapeutic potential and ensure ESK-001 is widely accessible to people with immune-mediated disorders around the world.”
Hiroyuki Horiuchi, President and Representative Director of Kaken said, “We strongly believe in the potential of ESK-001 to address a range of medical needs in the dermatology space and potentially rheumatological and gastrointestinal diseases in the future. ESK-001 will be an important addition to the Kaken portfolio of novel therapeutics for dermatology conditions.”
