Fosun Pharma secured China rights to oral PDE-5 inhibitor AR1001 for Alzheimer's disease (AD) on 28 July through a USD 21 million agreement with Hong Kong-based Niuke. The deal includes USD 5.7 million upfront and up to USD 15.7 million in milestones, plus tiered royalties. AR1001, currently in global Phase III trials, targets amyloid plaques and tau pathology while showing strong blood-brain barrier penetration in early studies.

Niuke, founded in August 2023, holds global rights to AR1001 from South Korea's AriBio. Fosun gains exclusive commercialisation rights in Greater China and negotiation priority for Southeast Asian markets. The candidate addresses a USD 10 billion AD treatment gap, with no approved PDE-5 inhibitors currently available. Fosun will handle local production after technology transfer while Niuke supplies initial clinical batches.

According to PharmCube's NextBiopharm® database, AR1001 is one of three PDE-5 inhibitors being developed or repurposed for AD globally. Click here to request a free trial for NextBiopharm®.