UK Biotech Partnerships & Licensing News
Partnerships and licensing agreements connect UK life sciences organisations with research institutes, pharmaceutical companies, technology providers, manufacturers and commercial customers. This category reports material agreements and collaborations, with a focus on what the parties have agreed to do.
IXICO Wins £2.7m Phase 3 Huntington’s Disease Imaging Contract
IXICO has secured a £2.7 million contract with an unnamed international biotechnology company to provide imaging and biomarker analysis for a global Phase 3 Huntington’s disease study. The agreement is expected to generate revenue over six years and is IXICO’s second Phase 3 Huntington’s disease contract in the past 12 months.
Virax Biolabs Appoints Three China Distributors for ImmuneSelect
Virax Biolabs has signed three non-exclusive distribution agreements in mainland China for its ImmuneSelect research-use immune profiling products. The agreements, made through its Shanghai subsidiary, involve AmyJet Scientific, Jiangsu Real-Gen Biotechnology and Zhixi Biotechnology. They expand Virax's distributor-led commercial network following initial Chinese product sales. ImmuneSelect is for research use only and is distinct from the company's in-development ViraxImmune diagnostic platform.
Nxera Exercises Option on Idorsia's Fabry Drug Lucerastat for Asia-Pacific
Nxera Pharma has exercised its option to license lucerastat, Idorsia's oral Phase 3 therapy for Fabry disease, and signed a co-development and commercialisation agreement. It gains rights in Japan, South Korea, Taiwan and selected other Asia-Pacific markets, excluding China, and pays CHF 7 million upfront. Idorsia is eligible for royalties on net sales in the territory.
Atelerix Partners with Frontier Space on Sample Preservation for Space Missions
Atelerix has signed a two-year memorandum of understanding with UK space biotech Frontier Space to validate its alginate hydrogel encapsulation for preserving cells, organoids and organ-on-chip models at ambient temperature on space missions. Launch opportunities are being targeted throughout 2027.
Medicines Discovery Catapult Signs Three-Year Alpha Isotope Supply Deal with Thor Medical
Medicines Discovery Catapult has signed a three-year agreement with Thor Medical for the supply of radium-224 and lead-212 from Thor's AlphaOne facility. The isotopes will support preclinical targeted alpha therapy programmes run by MDC and the radiopharmaceutical developers it works with.