CSL strikes rare disease drug deal worth up to $1.6 billion with Swiss firm Alentis

Oct 5 (Reuters) - Australia's CSL CSL.AX said on Monday it had entered into an agreement with Switzerland-based Alentis Therapeutics to co-develop and co-promote a treatment for rare kidney and liver diseases, in a deal worth up to $1.6 billion before development funding.

Under the partnership, CSL will make an upfront payment of $355 million, while Alentis is eligible for up to $1.2 billion in commercial milestone payments.

The deal gives the Australian biotech giant rights to jointly develop and commercialise lixudebart, a potential first-in-class treatment being studied for rare kidney and liver diseases.

Lixudebart, formerly known as ALE.F02, is currently in a Phase 2 trial for a rare autoimmune kidney disease that can cause irreversible kidney damage and end-stage renal disease.

The drug was granted orphan drug designation — a special status granted by the US FDA to investigational therapies intended to prevent, diagnose, or treat rare diseases or conditions — for the treatment of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, or chronic lung disease, in 2024.

The companies also plan to advance the drug as a potential treatment for focal segmental glomerulosclerosis (FSGS), a chronic kidney disease, and primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), a chronic liver disease for which there is currently no approved therapy.

Once commercialised, global profits from the drug will be shared 55% to CSL and 45% to Alentis.