Chinese biotech in-licenses early stage rare disease therapy

Beijing-based Sperogenix Therapeutics has acquired exclusive rights in China to develop and commercialize an early-stage drug designed to treat a rare central nervous system disease.

Leriglitazone, a novel PPAR-gamma agonist being developed by Barcelona's Minorynx Therapeutics, is currently in Phase 2 development for its potential to treat X-linked adrenoleukodystrophy (X-ALD), a genetic disease characterized by the buildup of very long chain fatty acids in tissues, resulting in damage to nerve cells throughout the central nervous system. There are currently no treatments indicated for X-ALD.

Sperogenix will pay Minoryx up to $78 million in upfront and milestone payments, in addition to double-digit royalties on annual net sales of leriglitazone. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the European Medicines Agency have granted the drug orphan drug designation. Earlier this year, leriglitazone also received the FDA's fast track designation.