LENZ Therapeutics and Lotus Pharmaceutical Reach Exclusive Licensing Deal for LNZ100 in Korea and Southeast Asia

SAN DIEGO and TAIPEI, Taiwan – LENZ Therapeutics, Inc., a biopharmaceutical company listed on Nasdaq as LENZ, has formed an exclusive agreement with Lotus Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. Under this agreement, Lotus will be responsible for the commercialization of LNZ100, a novel eye drop treatment for presbyopia, in the Republic of Korea and various Southeast Asian nations, including Thailand, the Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia, and Singapore.

LENZ Therapeutics is at the forefront of developing innovative treatments aimed at enhancing near vision for individuals affected by presbyopia through their unique aceclidine-based eye drop. This partnership with Lotus leverages Lotus’s strong commercial infrastructure and proven track record in global pharmaceutical partnerships.

The financial terms of this agreement are significant. LENZ is set to receive up to $125 million, which includes upfront payments along with regulatory and commercial milestone payments. Additionally, LENZ will benefit from tiered double-digit royalties on future net sales. This arrangement grants Lotus exclusive rights to develop, manufacture, register, and commercialize LNZ100 across the designated regions.

Eef Schimmelpennink, the President and CEO of LENZ Therapeutics, expressed enthusiasm about the collaboration. He highlighted Lotus’s successful history of partnerships and its robust commercial presence in Southeast Asia, which has seen six consecutive years of double-digit revenue growth, now surpassing $500 million. Schimmelpennink looks forward to Lotus introducing LNZ100 to this lucrative and vital market segment.

Lotus’s Chief Executive Officer, Petar Vazharov, also shared his excitement about the partnership. He emphasized the transformative impact that LNZ100 is expected to have on over 100 million people in the region suffering from presbyopia. Vazharov reaffirmed Lotus's commitment to innovation, regulatory excellence, and utilizing its extensive network to ensure widespread access to this new treatment solution.

In recent developments, LENZ had announced in October the prior year that the FDA accepted the New Drug Application for LNZ100, anticipating its potential approval. This application has been assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of August 8, 2025.

LENZ Therapeutics, headquartered in San Diego, is dedicated to the development of aceclidine-based eye drops to enhance vision for those with presbyopia. Their product, LNZ100, is characterized as a preservative-free, single-use, daily eye drop. It has been evaluated in key Phase 3 studies as a treatment solution for presbyopia, a condition that affects approximately 1.8 billion individuals globally.

Lotus Pharmaceutical, founded in 1966 and publicly traded on the Taiwan Stock Exchange under the stock code 1795, is a well-established global entity. It focuses on both novel and generic pharmaceuticals, aiming to offer improved, safer, and more accessible medication options. Lotus prides itself on an advanced R&D and manufacturing platform in Asia, recognized by significant regulatory bodies, and maintains partnerships worldwide, developing a broad portfolio of pharmaceutical projects.

This strategic partnership between LENZ Therapeutics and Lotus Pharmaceutical promises to bring an innovative treatment for presbyopia to important markets in Asia, potentially transforming the quality of life for millions affected by this common vision impairment.