Hansoh in-licenses novel leukemia drug to bolster cancer pipeline

Hansoh Pharma has gained exclusive rights to develop Tern Pharma’s novel chronic myeloid leukemia drug for the Chinese market in an in-licensing deal worth up to $68 million.

Discovered by Tern Pharma, TRN-000632 is a small molecule drug that inhibits BCR-ABL, a fusion gene and protein that plays a role in the development of several types of leukemia. The California-based drug developer hopes to leverage Hansoh’s experience in developing drugs for the Chinese market to its own drug asset.

The Jiangsu-based pharma’s second-generation BCR-ABL inhibitor, flumatinib, was approved by China’s National Medical Products Administration in November last year.