Kyowa Kirin Partners with BridgeBio for Potential Achondroplasia Drug, Pays $100M in Pivotal Collaboration

In a strategic move to develop and commercialize a promising drug for achondroplasia and other skeletal dysplasias, Kyowa Kirin has entered into a partnership with BridgeBio Pharma, agreeing to pay a substantial upfront fee of $100 million for exclusive rights to infigratinib in Japan. Infigratinib, a small oral molecule, is an FGFR3 inhibitor designed to treat achondroplasia and other skeletal dysplasias.

Key points from the agreement include:

1. Kyowa Kirin acquires exclusive Japanese rights to infigratinib, with BridgeBio receiving the $100 million upfront payment.
2. Additional milestone payments and royalties up to the "high twenties percent" of sales are also part of the deal.
3. Infigratinib is currently in a Phase 3 trial for achondroplasia, having demonstrated strong clinical results by improving annualized height velocity by 3.38 cm/year in a Phase 2 trial.
4. Kyowa Kirin is initiating discussions with Japan's Pharmaceuticals and Medical Devices Agency (PMDA) and aims to begin Japanese registrational trials for infigratinib in 2025.
5. BridgeBio CEO Neil Kumar emphasizes the importance of this partnership, as BridgeBio focuses on its heart disease treatment acoramidis.

This collaboration highlights Kyowa Kirin's' expansion strategy in the rare diseases market, where BridgeBio is a leading player. The potential of infigratinib in competing with BioMarin's' Voxzogo, an approved drug for achondroplasia, is further advancing the industry's' response to treating dwarfism and related conditions.