Antengene and Karyopharm Therapeutics Launch Strategic Collaboration to Advance Four Oral Oncology and Non-Oncology Drug Candidates in Asia-Pacific

On May 29, Antengene Corporation (“Antengene”) and Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: KPTI) (“Karyopharm”) signed an agreement at The Ritz-Carlton Shanghai, Pudong, officially launching a strategic partnership to jointly develop four oral innovative drugs currently in clinical development.

The four compounds include three SINE XPO1 antagonists at different stages of clinical development—Selinexor, Eltanexor, and Verdinexor—as well as KPT-9274, a dual inhibitor of PAK4 and NAMPT. Antengene Corporation will hold the rights to develop and commercialize Selinexor and Eltanexor for all oncology indications in Mainland China and Macau, as well as the rights to develop and commercialize KPT-9274 for all oncology indications and Verdinexor for non-oncology indications in Mainland China, Macau, Taiwan, Hong Kong, South Korea, and the member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Should Karyopharm elect to develop and commercialize Verdinexor for oncology indications, Antengene shall retain the rights to develop and commercialize Verdinexor for oncology indications within the territories specified in the agreement.

Among the four projects, Selinexor has entered Phase II and Phase III clinical trials for multiple hematologic malignancies and solid tumors, including multiple myeloma, diffuse large B-cell lymphoma, and liposarcoma. It has been administered to more than 2,400 patients, with over 40 clinical trials currently underway. In April 2018, the U.S. FDA granted Selinexor Fast Track designation for the treatment of relapsed or refractory multiple myeloma.

Dr. Mei Jianming, Chairman of Antengene Corporation, stated that Antengene aims to continue targeting cancers prevalent in China and other severe diseases that threaten life and quality of life by collaborating with global innovative pharmaceutical leaders such as Karyopharm Therapeutics, jointly cultivating the Chinese and Asia-Pacific markets with broad development prospects. Previously, Antengene maintained a highly successful partnership with Celgene (NASDAQ: CELG). The first collaborative project, ATG-008 for the treatment of advanced hepatocellular carcinoma, is currently conducting international multi-center clinical trials in mainland China, Taiwan, and South Korea. This in-depth collaboration with Karyopharm marks a milestone for Antengene as it formally enters the fields of hematologic malignancies and non-oncology diseases. “We will submit the regulatory filing materials for Selinexor, the first product from this collaboration, in mainland China during the third quarter of this year. Our partnership is not merely a simple licensing-in arrangement; rather, it encompasses the joint development of multiple products across various dimensions and regions. However, our ultimate goal remains singular: to benefit patients in China and the Asia-Pacific region at the earliest possible time through collaborative development.”

Karyopharm is dedicated to the development of global first-in-class novel drugs, with a particular focus on hematologic malignancies. Its innovative therapeutics targeting nuclear export proteins have entered the final pre-launch stage after years of intensive R&D investment. Furthermore, this drug series has demonstrated significant development potential across various disease areas, including solid tumors, influenza, respiratory inflammation, and other viral infections.“Leveraging Antengene’s platform, Karyopharm’s newly introduced drug candidates will undergo rapid clinical development and commercialization. Antengene possesses extensive regulatory and clinical R&D experience in China and other Asia-Pacific countries and regions. This comprehensive collaboration strengthens our global R&D and commercialization capabilities and will significantly accelerate the development and commercialization of our products in the Chinese and Asia-Pacific markets, thereby bringing greater benefits to patients in China and across Asia,” stated Dr. Michael Kauffman, CEO of Karyopharm.

About Antengene

ANTENGENE CORPORATION is an innovative biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the development and commercialization of novel drugs, focusing on addressing unmet medical needs in Asia and striving to provide the most advanced and leading anticancer therapies to patients in China and the Asia-Pacific region. On April 13, 2017, Celgene Corporation (Nasdaq: CELG), a global leader in innovative medicines, became a long-term strategic partner of ANTENGENE and acquired an equity stake in the company. Currently, ANTENGENE has several projects in Phase II/III clinical development. Notably, the Asia-Pacific multicenter clinical trial for its lead pipeline product, ATG-008, a dual TORC1/TORC2 inhibitor, for hepatocellular carcinoma has been launched in multiple regions, including mainland China, Taiwan, China, and South Korea.

About Karyopharm Therapeutics

Karyopharm Therapeutics Inc. (NASDAQ: KPTI) is a biopharmaceutical company dedicated to the global development of innovative medicines. The company focuses on developing novel therapeutics targeting nuclear export proteins. Its Selective Inhibitor of Nuclear Export (SINE) compounds function by binding to and inhibiting Exportin 1 (XPO1, also known as CRM1). In addition to treating various cancers as monotherapies or in combination regimens, Karyopharm’s SINE compounds have demonstrated biological activity in a range of other conditions, including neurodegenerative diseases, inflammation, autoimmune disorders, and viral infections. Founded by Dr. Sharon Shacham, Karyopharm currently has multiple drug candidates in clinical trials and preclinical studies.