Shanghai Argo Biopharmaceutical (Argo), a biotechnology company focused on the discovery and development of next-generation RNAi therapeutics, has entered into two exclusive license and collaboration agreements with Novartis Pharma AG.

Under the first agreement, Argo has granted Novartis exclusive global licenses to develop and commercialize a Phase 1 stage program. The first agreement also includes a research collaboration and Novartis also receives an option to potentially license compounds directed against up to two additional targets for cardiovascular disease treatment. Under the second agreement, Argo granted Novartis an exclusive ex-Greater China license to develop and commercialize a Phase 1/2a clinical-stage program for cardiovascular disease treatment.

Discovered and developed with Argo's cutting-edge RNAi platform technology, these clinical-stage assets offer industry-leading efficacy and durability therapies. The transactions have a combined potential value of up to $4.165 billion for Argo and tiered royalties.

"This is the first significant overseas out-licensing transaction in the RNAi field from a Chinese biotech company. We are pleased that Novartis, a global leader in cardiovascular disease and RNAi therapeutics, recognizes the significant value that the Argo team has created with advanced RNAi platform technology and new generation CVM pipeline over the past two years." said Dongxu Shu, president and chief executive officer of Argo Biopharma. "The proven development capabilities, global commercial reach, and breadth of experience Novartis has in CVM make it the ideal partner to accelerate the development of our drug candidates and bring these medicines to patients".

"We believe the cardiovascular programs that Argo has developed using its state-of-the-art RNAi platform complement the Novartis pipeline of RNA-based therapeutics," said Shaun Coughlin, Head of Cardiovascular and Metabolic Disease Area research at Novartis. "We look forward to working with Argo to bring these investigational therapies forward to help address unmet patient needs in cardiovascular medicine."

Also under the first agreement, Novartis can select up to two targets against which Argo will perform discovery and optimization, to deliver PCCs, at which time Novartis will have the option to take a worldwide exclusive license.

The second transaction is subject to clearance under the Hart-Scott Rodino Antitrust Improvements Act.