Deals this week: Kite Pharma, Waters Corporation, Retrophin Inc.

Kite Pharma and Experimental Transplantation and Immunology Branch (ETIB) of National Cancer Institute (NCI) have entered a co-operative research and development (R&D) agreement (CRADA) to develop T-cell receptor (TCR) product candidates for the treatment of HPV associated cancers.

Pursuant to the agreement, NCI will develop separately designed TCR therapy candidates targeting HPV-16 E6 oncoprotein and will research on novel TCR therapy candidates targeting HPV-10 E7 oncoprotein.

The partnership enables Kite Pharma and National Cancer Institute (NCI) to advance the research and clinically development of T-cell receptor product candidates against human papillomavirus (HPV)-16 E6 and E7 oncoproteins to treat HPV associated cancers.

Waters Corporation has entered a co-development agreement with Bioprocessing Technology Institute (BTI) to develop new techniques to identify cancer markers and probe cancer biology.

According to the agreement, both partners will jointly elucidate new therapeutic strategies through glycosylation pathways and develop a glycosphingolipid (GSL) head group database with glucose retention times and collision cross section values. Waters will contribute scientific expertise by using its proprietary, SYNAPT G2-S, high-definition, mass spectrometry system.

Retrophin Inc. has entered a definitive agreement with Asklepion Pharmaceuticals to acquire the rights, titles and ownership of a liquid formulation of ursodeoxycholic acid, which enables it to develop and commercialise a drug candidate for the treatment of primary biliary cholangitis (PBC).

According to the agreement, Retrophin has paid $0.5m upfront to Asklepion Pharma and will also pay up to $23.5m based on sales milestones and incremental milestone payments of up to $35m, upon successful development and commercialisation of the liquid formulation of ursodeoxycholic acid.

ST Pharm Co. Ltd has announced they will raise gross proceeds of $113.6m through the initial public offering (IPO) of its 4,664,000 shares.

The company plans to invest the raised funds for financing facilities and increasing the working capital.

Pharmaceutical company Shanxi C&Y Pharmaceutical Group plans to acquire Shanxi Powerdone Pharmaceutics through the funds raised from private placement of its shares.

The company expects to raise gross proceeds of up to $472.36m from the placement.