China-based Simcere Pharmaceutical Group has granted Boehringer Ingelheim (BI) an exclusive global license to develop and commercialise SIM0709, a preclinical-stage bispecific antibody (BsAb) targeting TL1A and IL-23p19 for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). The candidate, developed using Simcere's multispecific antibody technology platform, is designed to simultaneously block two key pathways involved in IBD pathogenesis and has shown synergistic efficacy in preclinical models superior to the combination of two separate monoclonal antibodies (mAbs).

Under the agreement, Simcere is eligible to receive an upfront payment and milestone payments potentially totalling up to EUR 1.058 billion (USD 1.3 billion), plus royalties on ex-Greater China net sales. BI obtains the global rights to the asset outside of Greater China. This deal represents Simcere's second out-licensing agreement in the autoimmune field and the first for a BsAb, bringing the total potential value of the company's early-stage research licensing deals to over USD 4.6 billion.

According to PharmCube's NextBiopharm® database, this is the third licensing deal involving a TL1A×IL-23p19 BsAb, with all three involving Chinese assets. Click here to request a free trial for NextBiopharm®.