TiumBio inks licensing deal with China's Hansoh for endometriosis drug

South Korean biotech TiumBio Co. has signed a technology transfer agreement of its endometriosis and uterine myoma treatment candidate with China’s Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Company Ltd.

The deal amounts to up to $170 million, including a $4.5 million upfront payment, a $1.5 million technology transfer payment and up to $164 million in regulatory and sales-based commercial milestones, the Korean biotech said on Aug. 9.

Under the agreement, Hansoh has secured exclusive rights to develop and commercialize the candidate, called TU2670, in mainland China, Taiwan, Hong Kong and Macau. 

TiumBio is under a clinical trial phase 2a of the candidate, targeting endometriosis, at 40 institutions in five countries such as Italy, Poland, Czechia, Russia and Ukraine. The biotech has recruited half of the patient group and is aiming to complete the phase 2a clinical studies by 2023.

The Korean biotech has transferred the technology of the same candidate targeting uterine myoma to Korea’s Daewon Pharmaceutical Co. in 2019. Daewon is conducting the phase 2a clinical trial to develop and commercialize the treatment in Korea.      

Endometriosis is a disease where tissue that normally lines the inside of the uterus grows outside of the uterus, often causing chronic pelvis pain, menstrual pain or infertility. TU2670 is an oral medication that suppresses hormone levels to the level of efficacy, improving side effects and ease of use, TiumBio said.

TiumBio marked its third technology transfer through the deal. Prior to the deal with Daewon, it signed a license agreement of TU2218, a candidate to treat respiratory diseases such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, to Italian biotech Chiesi Group for $740 million in 2018. The treatment candidate hasn’t entered the phase 1 clinical trial yet.

Write to Jeong-Min Nam at peux@hankyung.com
Jihyun Kim edited this article.