ZURICH (Reuters) – Swiss drugmaker Vifor Pharma on Monday agreed to pay United States-based Angion Biomedica up to $80 million for rights to experimental kidney drug ANG-3777.
Angion’s ANG-3777 is in late-stage trials to determine whether it helps kidney transplant patients at risk of impaired functioning of the donated organ. It is also in an earlier-stage study for acute kidney injury associated with cardiac surgery.
The licensing deal includes a $30 million up-front payment, a $30 million equity investment in Angion and $20 million in milestone payments, as well as up to $260 million in other milestones upon U.S. and EU approval. Further royalties are also possible, the Swiss company said.
Vifor is seeking to boost its nephrology portfolio, where it already has drugs in trials for anaemia due to chronic kidney disease and vasculitis. The company also has a joint venture with Germany’s Fresenius to provide products and services for chronic kidney disease patients.
Data from the trial of ANG-3777 in patients with transplant-associated acute kidney injury is due in the second half of next year. The Angion deal with Vifor excludes China, where the U.S. company already has a pact with Sinovant Sciences.
(Reporting by John Miller; Editing by David Goodman)
