Biopharmaceuticals News

Novartis Secures Chinese mRNA Therapy in $7.8B Deal Amid Pipeline Pressures

Novartis has agreed to pay up to $7.8 billion for exclusive worldwide rights to ABO2203, an early-stage mRNA-based T-cell engager developed by Chinese biotech Abogen Biosciences. The agreement includes a $575 million upfront payment and up to $7.2 billion in milestone payments. The therapy targets autoimmune diseases by depleting B cells using an in vivo approach that avoids traditional manufacturing complexities. This deal follows recent setbacks in Novartis’s own CAR-T programs and reflects a broader trend of Western pharmaceutical companies partnering with Chinese developers to secure future pipeline growth.