Ono Pharmaceutical has agreed to pay $80 million upfront to secure regional rights to three of Biohaven’s IgG degrader candidates, marking a significant expansion into extracellular protein degradation. The agreement grants the Tokyo-based company rights to develop and commercialize the assets—led by the phase 3-stage Grave’s disease prospect BHV-1300—across Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.
Biohaven Receives Royalties from Yale University Technology
Biohaven is also set to receive a 20% royalty on profits from sales within the licensed territories. This collaboration represents the first regional partnership for an extracellular protein degrader, a technology that traces its development to the Spiegel Lab at Yale University.
Clinical Focus on BHV-1300 and Follow-on Programs
The partnership centers on BHV-1300, a protein degrader designed to target IgG1, 2, and 4 while sparing IgG3. Biohaven reported clinical data in January indicating that a patient with Graves’ disease treated with the IgG MoDE degrader achieved complete suppression of disease-causing TSH receptor-stimulating antibodies. The company describes the candidate as being designed for easy self-administration via a “patient-friendly autoinjector”.
Beyond the lead candidate, the deal includes two next-generation programs, BHV-1310 and BHV-1320. These assets are part of a broader R&D strategy for Biohaven, which narrowed its research focus in March to prioritize extracellular protein degraders.
Strategic Expansion for Ono Pharmaceutical
For Ono Pharmaceutical, the deal bolsters an immunology and inflammation pipeline that the company considers a primary growth area. Ono’s existing portfolio includes bifunctional fusion proteins licensed from Shattuck Labs and in-house bispecific antibodies. The company also holds regional rights to Vertex Pharmaceuticals’ IgA nephropathy candidate, povetacicept, which is currently awaiting an approval decision from the FDA.
What Is BHV-1300 and Its Licensing Agreement?
What is the specific mechanism of BHV-1300?
BHV-1300 acts as an extracellular protein degrader. It is engineered to selectively target specific IgG subclasses—IgG1, IgG2, and IgG4—while avoiding the degradation of IgG3.
Which markets are included in the licensing agreement?
The agreement covers Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, and all member nations of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
What is the status of the other candidates in the deal?
BHV-1310 and BHV-1320 are identified as next-generation follow-on degraders. They are included in the regional rights package alongside the lead Graves’ disease candidate, BHV-1300.
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