ASLAN Pharmaceuticals Ltd. and Bukwang Pharmaceutical Co. Ltd. have entered into a joint venture to develop immuno-oncology therapies.
Under the agreement, Singapore-based Aslan will transfer the global rights to all of the assets related to aryl hydrocarbon receptor, or AhR, antagonists from its early-stage pipeline.
Meanwhile, Bukwang will invest US$5 million in the new company to fund these assets, identify a lead development compound and seek regulatory approval to study therapies in humans.
The independent company, dubbed Jaguahr Therapeutics, will develop new immuno-oncology therapeutics for global markets targeting the AhR pathway and will be based in Singapore.
AhR is a druggable transcription factor that acts as a master regulator of gene expression in cells of the immune system. Prior research has shown that advantages of AhR antagonists include robust activation of the immune response to kill cancer cells, Aslan said in a Sept. 30 press release.
