Third deal for Ascletis, which gains China market rights from Janssen to a clinical stage HIV protease inhibitor

USA and China-based biotech firm Ascletis Pharmaceuticals says it has licensed development, manufacturing and commercialization rights from Assent R&D Ireland to TMC310911, a next-generation HIV protease inhibitor (PI). The agreement provides Ascletis with exclusive rights to develop and commercialize TMC310911 in Greater China, including mainland China and Macau.

Janssen, a subsidiary of US health care giant Johnson & Johnson (NYSE: JNJ) will retain all rights in the rest of the world and is eligible to receive royalties based on product sales in Greater China. Further financial terms of the accord were not disclosed.

“This licensing agreement for TMC310911 adds a third drug candidate in late-stage development to the Ascletis pipeline, which aims to provide innovative therapeutics for important medical needs in China,” said Jinzi Wu, Ascletis’ president and chief executive, adding: “Based on research to date, we believe that TMC310911 has the potential to offer a new standard-of-care, especially for HIV-infected patients exhibiting multi-drug resistance to current PIs.”