IASO Bio and Innovent Strengthen Cell Therapy Partnership

IASO Biotechnology (IASO Bio) and Innovent Biologics (Innovent) have announced a pivotal collaboration. This agreement includes IASO Bio's acquisition of Innovent's rights to FUCASO® (Equecabtagene Autoleucel) and a license to the associated intellectual property. Innovent will, in return, invest in IASO Bio by purchasing an 18% equity stake. This collaboration aims to integrate their efforts in the field of cellular immunotherapy, with IASO Bio taking charge of the development, manufacturing, and commercialization of FUCASO® globally, while Innovent becomes a strategic shareholder.

FUCASO®, developed jointly by IASO Bio and Innovent, received approval from the National Medical Products Administration (NMPA) on June 30, 2023. It is designed to treat patients with relapsed and/or refractory multiple myeloma (RRMM) who have undergone at least three prior treatments. This product is notable for being the first approved fully human CAR-T therapy and the first BCMA CAR-T product in China. Additionally, on March 28, 2024, FUCASO® secured an IND application for RRMM patients who are refractory to lenalidomide after 1-2 prior therapies. The IND application for treating autoimmune diseases such as refractory generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG) has also been approved in both China and the United States in 2024.

Ms. Zhang Jinhua, Founder, Chairwoman, and CEO of IASO Bio, expressed gratitude towards Innovent for recognizing their R&D capabilities and commercialization strength. She highlighted the robust partnership built over six years, emphasizing that this new strategic alliance will create significant synergies. Zhang is confident that leveraging their strengths will advance innovative therapeutic solutions, staying committed to their mission of providing novel treatments to patients and achieving mutual success with Innovent.

Dr. Michael Yu, Founder, Chairman, and CEO of Innovent, acknowledged IASO Bio's expertise and execution capability in the cell therapy field. He believes the new collaboration model will better harness their mutual strengths and resources. This model aims to integrate resources and dedicated teams across the full spectrum of manufacturing, development, and commercialization of CAR-T cell therapy. Yu also affirmed Innovent's continued support for IASO Bio as a strategic shareholder, looking forward to improving medication accessibility and bringing hope to patients globally.

IASO Bio is dedicated to discovering and developing novel cell therapies and biologics for oncology and autoimmune diseases. The company covers the entire drug development process, from early discovery to commercial production. Its diverse pipeline includes over 10 novel products, such as Equecabtagene Autoleucel, which has received NDA approval in China and IND approval in the U.S. for treating RRMM. IASO Bio aims to deliver transformative and affordable therapies to meet unmet medical needs globally.

Innovent, founded in 2011, focuses on making high-quality biopharmaceuticals accessible to patients worldwide. The company develops innovative medicines targeting severe diseases, including cancer, cardiovascular, metabolic, autoimmune, and eye diseases. Innovent has launched ten products, with several more in various stages of trial and regulatory review. Partnering with over 30 global healthcare companies, Innovent is committed to maintaining high industry standards and advancing the biopharmaceutical sector to increase accessibility to first-rate pharmaceutical drugs.