Events Details
Biogen Inc. to invest in felzartamab rights in Greater China through agreement with TJ Biopharma
Tuesday, April 21, 2026
Biogen Inc. has entered into a definitive agreement to invest in the exclusive rights to felzartamab held by TJ Biopharma in the Greater China region. Following the agreement, Biogen will hold exclusive global rights to the drug candidate, which is currently under Phase 3 clinical evaluation for several immune-mediated diseases.
Under the terms of the deal, TJ Biopharma will receive an upfront payment of $100 million. The company is also eligible for up to $750 million in milestone payments linked to commercial and sales performance, taking the total potential value of the agreement to $850 million. In addition, TJ Bio will earn royalties in the mid-single-digit to low-double-digit percentage range on net sales in the Greater China region.
Biogen plans to record the upfront payment as an acquired in-process research and development expense in the second quarter of 2026. As part of the transaction, Biogen will also take over milestone and royalty obligations tied to an earlier licensing agreement with MorphoSys, a subsidiary of Novartis.
Biogen had earlier secured global rights to felzartamab, excluding Greater China, through its acquisition of HI-Bio in July 2024. The company has since initiated Phase 3 trials targeting conditions such as antibody-mediated rejection in kidney transplant patients, IgA nephropathy, and primary membranous nephropathy, with plans to expand into additional indications.
The agreement builds on ongoing collaboration between the two companies. In April 2025, TJ Bio joined two global Phase 3 trials sponsored by Biogen, focusing on IgA nephropathy and primary membranous nephropathy in China. Both conditions are major contributors to kidney disease in the country, with a large patient population affected.
Biogen will continue to lead clinical development in immunology, and will also take responsibility for manufacturing and commercial activities for felzartamab in the Greater China region. A biologics licence application for felzartamab, submitted by TJ Bio in December 2024 for the treatment of multiple myeloma, is currently under review by the National Medical Products Administration. Following approval, Biogen will oversee post-approval activities in the region, while TJ Bio will act as the manufacturing partner for this indication at its Hangzhou GMP plant.
Source: prnewswire.com
