Xingming Youjian Announces $400M+ Licensing Deal for Innovative Ophthalmic Gene Therapy UGX202

According to the terms of the agreement, AviadoBio will evaluate UGX202 during the option period. If the option is exercised, AviadoBio will obtain the exclusive global development and commercialization rights for UGX202 outside of Greater China, while UgeneX can receiveTotal cash payments exceeding 400 million US dollars, including upfront payment, R&D and sales milestone payments, as well as corresponding sales royalties.。

UGX202 is UgeneX's next-generation optogenetics product under research, using a self-developed AAV virus as a vector to carry an innovative light-sensitive protein with a broad spectrum and high sensitivity. It specifically infects retinal ganglion cells and confers photosensitive functions, reconstructing the visual pathway for patients with mid-to-late stage photoreceptor degenerative diseases. As a "universal" innovative gene therapy that transcends genetic mutations, UGX202 overcomes the limitations of rare disease patient numbers and is suitable for multiple patient populations, including those with retinitis pigmentosa, Stargardt disease, choroideremia, and advanced dry age-related macular degeneration.

Dr. Kai Wu, President of UgeneX"We are very pleased to collaborate with AviadoBio to jointly advance the clinical application and global cooperation of ophthalmic gene therapy. UgeneX has been committed to developing innovative gene therapies for ophthalmology to improve the quality of life for patients with visual impairments. This collaboration not only reflects the high confidence both parties have in the future clinical potential and market prospects of UGX202, but also represents an important milestone for our company in entering the international market. It fully demonstrates the international vision and R&D strength of our team, as well as the global value of our pipeline."

AviadoBio CEO Lisa Deschamps"We are delighted to expand our clinical-stage pipeline for neurodegenerative diseases from the brain to ophthalmology, applying our core technologies and strengths in targeted delivery vectors, highly efficient target proteins, and rapid translation to retinitis pigmentosa and other retinal diseases. Our team has extensive experience in ocular gene therapy development and looks forward to collaborating with the UgeneX team to jointly develop the UGX202 therapeutic pipeline."