Abogen Biosciences and Novartis strike $7.775 billion RNA therapy licensing deal

On October 2, Abogen Biosciences announced that it had entered into a licensing and option agreement with Novartis to advance RNA therapeutics. The agreement includes granting Novartis an exclusive global license for Abogen's key pipeline asset ABO2203, as well as exclusive option rights to develop additional potential programs based on Abogen's proprietary RNA platform. Abogen Biosciences is a clinical-stage biotechnology company focused on cutting-edge RNA innovation. Gaorong Ventures participated in the company's Series C financing and continued to increase its stake in subsequent rounds.

Under the terms of the agreement, Abogen Biosciences will receive an upfront payment of $575 million. If all options under the agreement are exercised, and upon achievement of specified development, regulatory, and commercial milestones, Abogen Biosciences is eligible to receive potential milestone payments of up to approximately $7.2 billion, along with potential royalties on future product sales. The transaction will become effective upon satisfaction of customary closing conditions, including required regulatory approvals.

ABO2203 is a novel mRNA-encoded CD19xCD3 T-cell engager (TCE) with the potential to reshape the treatment landscape for autoimmune diseases. The program aims to achieve B-cell reset by using mRNA to direct in vivo endogenous production of TCEs. This approach offers a highly differentiated B-cell depletion mechanism that may provide unique advantages compared to conventional recombinant TCEs.

Under the agreement, Novartis will also obtain exclusive option rights to several next-generation therapeutic pipeline assets developed using Abogen's RNA platform.

Dr. Bo Ying, founder and CEO of Abogen Biosciences, stated, "This agreement represents a significant milestone in Abogen's development, further validating that our RNA platform holds tremendous application potential and clinical value not only in prophylactic vaccines but also across broader therapeutic areas. ABO2203 is the world's first mRNA-encoded TCE candidate to enter clinical evaluation for autoimmune diseases, demonstrating our firm commitment to providing differentiated, accessible, and scalable therapies for patients with B-cell-mediated diseases. We look forward to accelerating the development of ABO2203 with Novartis and exploring additional novel therapeutic targets."

About Abogen Biosciences

Abogen Biosciences is a clinical-stage innovative biotechnology company dedicated to developing transformative RNA therapeutics. Leveraging its proprietary, AI- and automation-enabled mRNA and LNP delivery platform, Abogen has established end-to-end capabilities spanning mRNA design, formulation development, and large-scale GMP manufacturing. The company has built a robust and diversified R&D pipeline in oncology immunotherapy, autoimmune diseases, and prophylactic vaccines. Its lead candidate, ABO1108 (a freeze-dried mRNA shingles vaccine), is currently in Phase III clinical trials in China.