Apellis and Sobi link up on targeted C3 therapy in deal worth up to $1.25 billion

US biopharma firm Apellis Pharmaceuticals (Nasdaq: APLS) and Swedish Orphan Biovitrum (STO: SOBI; also known as Sobi) have announced a strategic collaboration to accelerate the advancement of systemic pegcetacoplan, a targeted C3 therapy, for the treatment of multiple rare diseases with high unmet need, impacting more than 275,000 patients globally.

Sobi will receive global co-development and exclusive ex-US commercialization rights for systemic pegcetacoplan. Apellis retains US commercialization rights for systemic pegcetacoplan and worldwide commercial rights for ophthalmological pegcetacoplan, which is being evaluated by Apellis in two fully enrolled Phase III studies in geographic atrophy (GA). Pegcetacoplan targets excessive activation of C3 in the complement cascade, part of the body’s immune system, which can lead to the onset and progression of many serious diseases.

Sobi will receive global co-development and exclusive ex-US commercialization rights for systemic pegcetacoplan, including the right to launch pegcetacoplan in paroxysmal nocturnal hemoglobinuria (PNH) in Europe. The companies have also agreed to equally split the costs for any future global studies beyond the initial development plan.