Janssen and Arrowhead strike RNAi deal
Janssen, a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson, has entered into a licence and collaboration agreement with drug maker Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals.
Under the agreement, which has a potential value of more than $3.7 billion for Arrowhead, the parties will develop and commercialise a treatment for chronic hepatitis B (HBV).
ARO-HBV is Arrowhead’s third-generation RNA interference (RNAi) therapeutic candidate which is being developed as a potentially curative therapy for patients with HBV.
Announced yesterday, October 4, the deal will also see Janssen potentially collaborate with Arrowhead for up to three additional RNAi therapeutics against new targets to be selected by Janssen.
Arrowhead will receive $250 million, consisting of a $175 million upfront payment from Janssen and $75 million of equity investment from Johnson & Johnson Innovation.
Arrowhead is also eligible to receive up to $1.6 billion in milestone payments for the ARO-HBV agreement and $1.9 billion for the collaboration agreement related to the other targets.
Christopher Anzalone, Arrowhead’s president and CEO, said that the agreement is an important step for ARO-HBV.
“Arrowhead has established a leadership position in the field over the past several years, and Janssen’s proven development capabilities, global commercial reach, and commitment to HBV make it the ideal partner to potentially accelerate our goal of bringing a functional cure to patients with chronic HBV,” he added.
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