Ablynx granted Eddingpharm an exclusive license to develop and commercialize ALX-0141, Ablynx’ anti-RANKL nanobody, for all indications including osteoporosis and bone metastases in China, Hong Kong and Macao, and Taiwan.

Ablynx will receive a €2 million (approximately $2.7 million) up-front payment from Eddingpharm and is entitled to commercial milestone payments plus tiered, double-digit royalties of up to 20%, based on annual net sales of ALX-0141 generated by Eddingpharm in greater China.

Under the agreement, Eddingpharm will be responsible for the clinical development, registration, and commercialization of anti-RANKL nanobody therapeutics. Ablynx will have access to the data generated by Eddingpharm to support potential licensing discussions in other geographic regions.

According to Ablynx, ALX-0141 is a bivalent bi-specific therapeutic molecule composed of two nanobodies targeting the Receptor Activator of Nuclear factor Kappa-B Ligand (RANKL). The bivalent anti-RANKL construct is linked to a nanobody that binds to serum albumin, which extends the drug’s in vivo half-life and may lead to preferential targeting of diseased tissue.

Last month, Ablynx partnered with Merck Serono on developing the former’s Nanobodies®—therapeutic proteins based on single-domain antibody fragments—against multiple targets in the latter’s core therapeutic areas. As part of the research alliance, Ablynx received an up-front payment of €11.5 million ($15.5 million) and will net €25 million ($33.7 million) in research funding from Merck Serono over its four-year term.

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