AriBio Co., Ltd. (AriBio), announces signing of exclusive marketing rights for AR1001, an investigational drug for early Alzheimer’s disease, in China for up to $770 million USD.

The term consists of a non-refundable upfront payment of 120 billion KRW (approximately 90 million USD), with the total deal summing up to 5.59 billion RMB (approximately 770 million USD) inclusive of milestone payments with additional royalties. The upfront payment will be paid starting from mid-2024.

In response to the increasing Alzheimer’s disease population in China, prominent pharmaceutical companies have sought to develop safe and effective oral treatments for Alzheimer’s disease. To date, AriBio has partnered for exclusive marketing rights in South Korea with Samjin Pharmaceutical for 100 billion KRW. And now, the partnership has expanded to China, cumulating to 1.12 trillion KRW (approximately 840 million USD). Considering the market competition for Alzheimer’s drugs in China and the sales strategy, the licensee requested not to be disclosed until an agreed upon time.

The global Phase 3 clinical trial for AR1001 in early Alzheimer’s disease patients (Polaris-AD) is on-going in the United States, United Kingdom, and South Korea. Furthermore, the clinical trial is awaiting regulatory approval in China and the European Union. This study will be conducted across 180 global sites. The first patient enrollment began in the United States in December 2022, and the rest of the regions are actively enrolling.

Matthew (Jai Jun) Choung, CEO and Chairman of AriBio, stated, “This deal demonstrates our unwavering commitment to developing meaningful treatments for Alzheimer’s disease, and our partners will help position AR1001 for success in the major Asian territories. We are building momentum in our AR1001 program, as we continue to discuss with other potential partners in Asian countries, the Middle East, South America, as well as Europe and the United States.”