Vor Bio Pays RemeGen $10 Million for Long-Acting Autoimmune Drug Candidate
By Dr. Zubair Khalid, DVM, MS, PhD ·
Vor Bio has paid RemeGen $10 million upfront in cash for rights to the drug candidate RC298 outside of Greater China. The deal adds a long-acting successor to Vor Bio’s BAFF/APRIL franchise in autoimmune disease.
RC298 is designed to target both BAFF and APRIL, two signaling proteins involved in B-cell survival and autoantibody production. The long-acting formulation is intended to reduce dosing frequency compared to existing therapies. Vor Bio will assume development and commercialization responsibilities for RC298 in all markets outside Greater China, while RemeGen retains rights in that region.
The transaction is structured as a license agreement with upfront payment, though additional milestone payments or royalties were not detailed in the announcement.
Context for the life sciences: BAFF and APRIL inhibitors are an active area of drug development for autoimmune conditions such as lupus, IgA nephropathy, and rheumatoid arthritis. Long-acting biologics can improve patient adherence by requiring fewer injections. Vor Bio’s acquisition of a late-stage candidate from RemeGen reflects a broader industry trend of biotech companies licensing assets from Chinese firms to fill pipeline gaps without incurring early discovery costs.
Source: original report