Biogen said on Monday it has agreed to pay up to $850 million to secure exclusive rights in Greater China to an experimental immune disease treatment from TJ Biopharma, a deal that also grants the U.S. drugmaker global rights to develop and commercialize the therapy.
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- Shares of Biogen rose 1.3% in premarket trading
- Under the agreement, TJ Biopharma will receive $100 million upfront and could earn up to $750 million in commercial and sales milestone payments, along with royalties on sales in Greater China
- The drug, felzartamab, is currently being evaluated in late-stage trials for several immune-related conditions, including IgA nephropathy and primary membranous nephropathy, both of which can damage the kidneys and potentially lead to organ failure
- Biogen obtained the drug through its up to $1.8 billion acquisition of Human Immunology Biosciences in 2024
- Human Immunology Biosciences had previously licensed global development and commercialization rights to felzartamab excluding Greater China from MorphoSys, a unit of Novartis
- Biogen said it will also assume milestone payment and royalty obligations tied to the agreement with MorphoSys
- The deal builds on collaboration between the companies in China since April 2025, when TJ Biopharma joined Biogen-led late-stage studies of felzartamab for IgA nephropathy and primary membranous nephropathy
- The drug is currently under review by China’s health regulator for the treatment of multiple myeloma
- Biogen said it will lead manufacturing and commercialization in the region if approved, while TJ Biopharma will continue producing the treatment at its Hangzhou facility
