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LEVERAGING DEEP JAPAN RELATIONSHIPS TO HELP SECURE A FIRST-IN-CLASS ASSET

CLIENT: Medgenics, Inc.

PARTNER: Kyowa Hakko Kirin

TRANSACTION:
Leveraging relationships in Japan to facilitate collaboration to develop and commercialize KHK’s anti-LIGHT mAb for pediatric onset IBD and other potential pediatric indications

Situation Assessment
  • Medgenics, Inc. (NYSE: MDGN) is a publically-traded, genomic medicine company dedicated treating patients with rare diseases
  • Medgenics identified at Kyowa Hakko Kirin a Phase 2-ready, first-in-class, anti-LIGHT mAb offering a genomically targeted approach to treating Severe Pediatric Onset IBD and potentially other autoimmune diseases.
  • Locust Walk leveraged its existing relationships with key business development executives at Kyowa Hakko Kirin, as well as its local presence in Japan, to help facilitate and expedite the collaboration discussions with KHK.
Key Activities Locust Walk’s  Japan team worked closely with both the Medgenics and Kyowa Hakko Kirin team members to ensure messages were effectively communicated to help ensure mutual understanding. Locust Walk’s team:
  • provided Medgenics with local support by interfacing with the Kyowa Hakko Kirin team.
  • advised Medgenics on key issues pertaining to the collaboration deal structure.
  • participated in meetings between the parties, including telephone conferences as well as face-to-face meetings both in Japan and the US.
Successful Outcome
  • On June 6, 2016, Medgenics and KHK announced a collaboration to develop and commercialize Kyowa Hakko Kirin’s anti-LIGHT mAb
  • Medgenics will conduct an initial signal finding study in Severe Pediatric Onset IBD, and will have an option to license rights to the program following this study
  • With the exercise of the option by Medgenics, Kyowa Hakko Kirin will then select one of two potential collaboration structures: a co-development/co-commercialization partnership or a licensing arrangement; terms for both structures have been pre-agreed.
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