Merck and Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceuticals Co. announced that the companies have entered into an exclusive license agreement for HRS-5346, an investigational oral small molecule Lipoprotein(a), or Lp(a), inhibitor currently being evaluated in a Phase 2 clinical trial in China.
“Elevated blood concentrations of Lp(a) provides a well-documented risk factor for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, affecting as many as 1 in 5 adults globally,” said Dr. Dean Y. Li, president, Merck Research Laboratories. “HRS-5346, an investigational oral small molecule inhibitor of Lp(a) formation, is an important addition that expands and complements our cardio-metabolic pipeline.”
Under the agreement, Hengrui Pharma has granted Merck exclusive rights to develop, manufacture and commercialize HRS-5346 worldwide, excluding Greater China region. Hengrui Pharma will receive an upfront payment of $200 million and is eligible to receive milestone payments associated with certain development, regulatory and commercial milestones up to $1.77 billion, as well as royalties on net sales of HRS-5346, if approved.
“We are pleased to partner with Merck, a global leader in cardiovascular care. We believe Merck’s clinical expertise and global scale will help accelerate the development of HRS-5346 and potentially provide more patients with an additional option to reduce their risk of atherosclerosis,” said Dr. Frank Jiang, Executive Vice President and Chief Strategy Officer of Hengrui Pharma.
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