Jacobio Pharmaceuticals has entered into a licensing agreement with AstraZeneca (AZ) for its self-developed pan-KRAS inhibitor, JAB-23E73. Under the terms, AZ acquires exclusive rights to develop and commercialise the product outside of China, while the two companies will co-develop and co-commercialise it within the Chinese market. Jacobio will receive an upfront payment of USD 100 million and is eligible for up to USD 1.915 billion in development and commercial milestone payments, plus tiered royalties on ex-China net sales.

JAB-23E73 is an innovative pan-KRAS inhibitor developed using Jacobio's induced allostery platform, designed to target multiple KRAS mutation subtypes. The KRAS gene is one of the most frequently mutated oncogenes in human cancers. The candidate is currently in Phase I clinical trials in both China and the US, where it has shown early signals of anti-tumour activity. The agreement strengthens Jacobio's financial position to advance its global pipeline and deepens its focus on the KRAS pathway, including the development of KRAS inhibitor-based antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs).

PharmCube's NextBiopharm® database shows that this is the largest deal in the pan-KRAS field. Click here to request a free trial for NextBiopharm®.