Viela Bio Enters Strategic Collaboration with Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma to Develop and Commercialize Inebilizumab for Autoimmu...
October 09 2019 - 6:00AM
Viela Bio, Inc. (“Viela”) and Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma Corporation
(“MTPC”) today announced a collaboration focused on the development
and commercialization of inebilizumab – Viela’s humanized anti-CD19
monoclonal antibody – in nine Asia regions for neuromyelitis optica
spectrum disorder (NMOSD), as well as other potential future
indications.
“This partnership adds to our ability to commercialize
inebilizumab globally, subject to regulatory approval,” commented
Bing Yao, Ph.D., Viela’s Executive Chairman and Chief Executive
Officer. “As a well-established pharmaceutical company in Japan,
Mitsubishi Tanabe has strong product development and
commercialization capabilities in Asia, and we believe, is an ideal
partner for expanding inebilizumab’s potential reach to thousands
of additional patients in need of viable treatments, with NMOSD as
an initial indication.” Under terms of the collaboration, Viela
will receive an up-front licensing fee of $30 million as well as
additional payments contingent on certain development and
commercial milestones, plus payments based, in part, on sales
revenue. MTPC will be responsible for leading development and
commercialization of inebilizumab in Japan, Thailand, South Korea,
Indonesia, Vietnam, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Taiwan.
“Our organization is delighted to partner with Viela to develop and
commercialize their promising product candidate inebilizumab for
autoimmune and inflammatory diseases,” said Masayuki Mitsuka, MTPC
President & Representative Director. “Inebilizumab is an
exciting product candidate that, based on the results from the
N-MOmentum pivotal study, is well-positioned to provide meaningful
benefit for patients with NMOSD, and potentially additional
diseases, subject to regulatory approval. We are excited to work
with Viela to advance inebilizumab in Japan and other Asia regions,
and look forward to a productive partnership between our
companies.” The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
recently accepted for review Viela’s Biologics License Application
(BLA) for inebilizumab for the treatment of NMOSD.
About Inebilizumab Inebilizumab is a humanized
monoclonal antibody that binds with high affinity to CD19, a
protein expressed on a broad range of B cells, including
antibody-secreting plasmablasts and plasma cells. After binding to
CD19, these cells are rapidly depleted from circulation.
Inebilizumab is an investigational new drug for which there is no
marketing authorization.
About Viela BioViela Bio, headquartered in
Gaithersburg, Maryland, is a clinical-stage biotechnology company
pioneering treatments for autoimmune and severe inflammatory
diseases. For more information, please
visit www.vielabio.com.
About Mitsubishi Tanabe PharmaMitsubishi Tanabe
Pharma, which was founded in 1678, has its headquarters in
Doshomachi, Osaka, which is the birthplace of Japan’s
pharmaceutical industry. With business centered on ethical
pharmaceuticals, Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma is a well-established
company and has the longest history of any listed pharmaceutical
company in Japan. In accordance with the corporate philosophy of
“contributing to the healthier lives of people around the world
through the creation of pharmaceuticals,” the Company formulated
the key concept of Open Up the Future under the Medium-Term
Management Plan 16-20. Through the discovery of drugs that address
unmet medical needs, centered on its priority disease
areas—immuno-inflammation, diabetes and kidney, central nervous
system, and vaccines—Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma will strive to
contribute to the health of patients around the world. For more
information, go to https://www.mt-pharma.co.jp/e/.
Forward-Looking Statements This press release
contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the
Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements,
other than statements of historical facts, contained in this press
release, including statements regarding our strategy, future
operations, prospects, plans, objectives of management, the timing
and progress of clinical development and potential
commercialization of our product candidates, if approved, and the
expected timing and the potential for payments under the agreement
with MTPC are forward-looking statements. In some cases, you can
identify forward-looking statements by terminology such as
“anticipate,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,”
“plan,” “predict,” “project,” “target,” “potential,” “will,”
“would,” “could,” “should,” “continue” or the negative of these
terms or other comparable terminology, which are intended to
identify forward-looking statements, although not all
forward-looking statements contain these identifying words. We may
not actually achieve the plans, intentions or expectations
disclosed in our forward-looking statements, and you should not
place undue reliance on our forward-looking statements. Actual
results or events could differ materially from the plans,
intentions and expectations disclosed in the forward-looking
statements we make. Various factors may cause differences between
our expectations and actual results as discussed in greater detail
in our filings with the Securities and Exchange
Commission (SEC), including without limitation, the risks and
uncertainties described in the section entitled “Risk Factors” in
our final prospectus dated October 2, 2019. We do not assume any
obligation to update any forward-looking statements, whether as a
result of new information, future events or otherwise, except as
required by law. For Viela Bio:
Investors: Solebury Trout Chad Rubin
646-378-2947crubin@soleburytrout.com Media:
Solebury Trout Amy Bonanno 914-450-0349abonanno@soleburytrout.com
For Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma: Media contacts: TEL:
+81 6 6205 5119Investor contacts: TEL: +81 6 6205 5110
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