Mergers & Acquisitions ·
Kiora in-licenses late-stage calpain inhibitor from Senju for up to $168.5M
KPRXKiora Pharmaceuticals Inc
Kiora Pharmaceuticals has entered into an exclusive license agreement with Senju Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. to develop and commercialize KIO-401, a neuroprotective oral small-molecule calpain inhibitor, outside of Asia. The deal includes a $3.5 million upfront payment, a low teen millions milestone upon technology transfer completion in 2027, and up to $168.5 million in regulatory and commercial milestones, plus single-digit royalties on net sales. Kiora plans to initiate a multinational Phase 3 registration trial for central retinal artery occlusion (CRAO) in 2027 and a Phase 2b study for non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION) in 2028, building on positive late-stage clinical data generated by Senju in Japan. Kiora Pharmaceuticals is a late-stage retinal therapeutics company developing small-molecule therapies targeting vision-threatening diseases.