Jacobio Pharma granted AstraZeneca exclusive global development and commercialization rights to its experimental pan-KRAS inhibitor JAB-23E73 in a licensing agreement announced December 21 with a potential total value of up to $2.015 billion.
The Hong Kong-listed biotech firm detailed the agreement terms on December 21. Jacobio will receive a $100 million upfront payment. The company remains eligible for development and commercial milestone payments totaling up to $1.915 billion. Jacobio also qualifies for tiered royalties on net sales of the drug outside China. AstraZeneca assumes responsibility for all clinical development, regulatory submissions, and commercialization activities for JAB-23E73 outside China. Within China, Jacobio and AstraZeneca will jointly develop and commercialize the drug.
Jacobio publicly confirmed the licensing deal on Sunday. The partnership expands AstraZeneca’s oncology portfolio. It provides validation for Jacobio’s cancer drug development platform. JAB-23E73 targets multiple KRAS mutation subtypes. These mutations occur in approximately 23 percent of all cancer patients. KRAS represents the most frequently mutated oncogene in human cancers. The oncogene drives tumors in pancreatic, colorectal, and lung cancers.
The drug currently undergoes evaluation in Phase I trials in China and the United States. Early signs of anti-tumor activity have appeared in these trials. Matt Hellmann, Senior Vice President of Early Oncology and Precision Medicine at AstraZeneca’s Oncology R&D, addressed the drug’s relevance in a press release statement. He said, “KRAS is one of the most important oncogenes in cancer, with KRAS-mutated tumours driving profound unmet need for patients with pancreatic, colorectal and lung cancers.” Hellmann continued, “By advancing KRAS inhibitors like JAB-23E73, and in combination with our diverse oncology portfolio, we aim to accelerate the development of new treatment regimens that have the potential to transform outcomes for patients.”
The agreement constitutes AstraZeneca’s first transaction with a multinational corporation in the global pan-KRAS inhibitor pipeline. In 2023, AstraZeneca licensed a KRAS G12D inhibitor from China’s Usynova for a $24 million upfront payment. That inhibitor addressed a narrower mutation scope compared to the broader range targeted by the pan-KRAS approach of JAB-23E73.
Jacobio developed JAB-23E73 using its proprietary induced allosteric drug discovery platform. The inhibitor acts on both the active and inactive states of KRAS. It demonstrates strong selectivity that spares HRAS and NRAS.
