The Swiss drugmaker will pay US$575 million upfront for rights to an mRNA-encoded T-cell engager that makes the patient’s body produce the therapeutic molecule, Abogen said in a statement Friday. 

Abogen’s drug, ABO2203, is designed to reset the immune system by depleting a type of white blood cell that drives autoimmune diseases — conditions in which the immune system mistakenly attacks healthy organs and tissues. The agreement covers options for other potential programs from Abogen’s RNA platform.

Multinational drugmakers have continued to show interest in Chinese drugs to fill their pipelines. Novo Nordisk A/S this week acquired rights to an early-stage obesity pill developed by Jiangsu Hengrui Pharmaceutical Co in a US$2.6 billion deal and AstraZeneca Plc invested US$2 billion in Summit Therapeutics Inc to co-develop a cancer medicine originating from Akeso Inc. That followed GSK Plc’s deal with Chimagen Biosciences for a blood-cancer drug.

If all options are exercised and milestones met in the latest deal, Abogen could receive up to US$7.2 billion in additional payments. Abogen may also be eligible to receive potential royalties on future product sales.

Novartis has tested other approaches to resetting autoimmunity, including with a cell therapy, but recently paused clinical trials after three patients died.

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