Servier agreed to develop, manufacture, and commercialize products using Sorrento Therapeutics’ fully human preclinical immuno-oncology anti-PD-1 monoclonal antibody (mAb) STI-A1110 in a licensing deal through which Sorrento said today it could generate up to €735 million ($813 million).
The agreement gives Servier an exclusive worldwide license to Sorrento's STI-A1110 mAb, covering all indications including hematological and solid tumor cancers. Servier also obtained full rights to develop, register, and commercialize products developed using STI-A1110 and agreed to fund all costs for these activities.
“We have tested STI-A1110 in preclinical studies conducted at Servier and we believe that, used in combination with several products from our portfolio, it will lead to the development of new treatments for hematological as well as solid tumor cancers,” said Jean-Pierre Abastado, Ph.D., director of Servier’s Oncology Innovation Therapeutic Pole.
Servier has said it aims to be a top developer of cancer therapies and is overseeing a pipeline of nine new molecular entities in clinical development in oncology. The therapy candidates target breast and lung cancers, and other solid tumors, as well as various leukemias and lymphomas.
Servier has agreed to pay Sorrento €25 million (about $28 million) upfront and up to €710 million ($785 million) in payments tied to achieving commercial sales milestones related to annual net sales levels for the initial product and then also for each additional product.
Servier also agreed to pay Sorrento royalties ranging from high single-digit to double-digit percentages on the sales of all commercialized products.
“This agreement represents validation for Sorrento's antibody technologies and R&D capabilities,” Sorrento President and CEO Henry Ji, Ph.D., a co-founder and director of the company, added.
STI-A1110 is Sorrento’s co-lead immuno-oncology G-MAB program, along with STI-A1014, an anti-PD-L1 mAb that is also in preclinical phases. Sorrento has partnered STI-A1014 with Lee’s Pharma, a public company listed on the main board of Hong Kong Stock Exchange with over 20 years of operation in China’s pharmaceutical industry. Lee’s Pharma will develop the antibody for the greater Chinese market, which includes China as well as Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan.
Sorrento says it is also working on additional immuno-oncology programs and targets.
