China’s Mabwell Bioscience and US-based Aditum Bio have launched Kalexo Bio, a new company, to develop a new small interfering RNA (siRNA) candidate, 2MW7141.
The initiative follows an exclusive global licensing agreement between the two firms.
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Under the agreement, Kalexo Bio obtains exclusive rights to develop, produce, and market Mabwell’s 2MW7141 worldwide.
Mabwell is eligible for up to $1bn in upfront and milestone payments, along with tiered royalties from future sales worldwide.
The biopharmaceutical company will also receive non-refundable upfront and near-term cash payments of $12m, along with an equity stake in Kalexo Bio.
Aditum Bio will fund Kalexo Bio, and both companies will collaborate to advance 2MW7141 into clinical trials.
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By GlobalDataMabwell founder, chairman and CEO Datao Liu said: “The formation of Kalexo Bio marks an important milestone for Mabwell as we expand the global reach of our innovative pipeline.
“2MW7141 has shown compelling preclinical results, and we believe that through our partnership with Aditum’s experienced team, we can accelerate its development and ultimately deliver a much-needed therapy to patients at risk of cardiovascular disease worldwide.”
The therapy is intended for managing lipid levels and preventing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease events in patients with dyslipidemia.
In preclinical trials, it has shown potential in suppressing target genes with minimal off-target effects.
Founded by Aditum Bio, Kalexo Bio aims to address areas with significant unmet medical needs by developing new therapies.
Aditum Bio employs an incubator model to accelerate drug development, with a focus on the translational phase.
Aditum Bio co-founder and managing director Joe Jimenez said: “Cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death worldwide, and 2MW7141 represents a novel approach with the potential to change the standard of care in lipid management.
“We are excited to partner with Mabwell and to launch Kalexo Bio as a dedicated company to advance this promising siRNA therapy into the clinic.”
Last year, Mabwell received the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fast track designation for its antibody-drug conjugate (ADC), 9MW2821, targeting triple-negative breast cancer.
