Oscotec Inc. announced on the 16th that it has licensed an Alzheimer’s disease drug candidate jointly researched and developed with ADEL Inc. to global healthcare company Sanofi in a deal valued at up to approximately KRW 1.5 trillion (USD 1.04 billion).
Under the agreement, Oscotec and ADEL have transferred worldwide exclusive rights for the development and commercialization of the candidate, “ADEL-Y01,” while Sanofi will take responsibility for the remaining clinical development, regulatory approval, manufacturing, and commercialization of ADEL-Y01.
The total value of the agreement, including the upfront payment and milestone payments, amounts to up to USD 1.04 billion (approximately KRW 1.53 trillion). Oscotec and ADEL will receive a non-refundable upfront payment of USD 80 million (approximately KRW 118 billion). Oscotec is entitled to 47% of all proceeds generated from the joint research and development, and accordingly, the upfront payment allocated to Oscotec is expected to be approximately KRW 55.3 billion (approximately USD 37 million).
ADEL-Y01 is an antibody that selectively targets acetylated tau (tau-acK280), a key pathological factor among tau proteins associated with Alzheimer’s disease. Specifically, it targets tau protein acetylated at lysine 280 (acetyl-tau, tau-acK280), which is known to play a critical role in the development and propagation of tau pathology, thereby selectively inhibiting pathological tau.
ADEL-Y01 was developed by ADEL, a company founded by Professor Yoon Seung-yong of Asan Medical Center in Seoul. In October 2020, Oscotec entered into a joint research and development agreement with ADEL at the candidate stage and has since been conducting manufacturing, preclinical, and clinical development. In 2023, ADEL-Y01 was selected as a project under the Korea Dementia Research and Development Program (KDRC), receiving partial support for clinical development costs.
Yoon Tae-young, Chief Executive Officer of Oscotec, said, “We are confident that ADEL-Y01, to be developed by global pharmaceutical company Sanofi, will become an innovative therapy that brings new hope to Alzheimer’s patients around the world in the near future.”
Yoon Seung-yong, Chief Executive Officer of ADEL, commented, “This large-scale licensing agreement with global pharmaceutical company Sanofi represents recognition in the global market of the strengths of ADEL’s technology and the potential of ADEL-Y01.”
