Aditum Bio Launches Kalexo Bio, Partnering with Mabwell for $1B Cardiovascular Asset Deal

California-based venture capital firm Aditum Bio has announced the launch of a new cardiovascular-focused biotech company, Kalexo Bio, in partnership with China's Mabwell Bioscience. The deal centers around a promising dual-target siRNA candidate, potentially worth up to $1 billion in milestone payments.

Licensing Agreement and Financial Terms

Aditum Bio has secured exclusive global licensing rights to Mabwell's siRNA asset, known as 2MW7141, for an upfront payment of $12 million. The agreement includes potential milestone payments totaling up to $1 billion, plus royalties on global sales. As part of the deal, Mabwell will receive an equity stake in the newly formed Kalexo Bio.

Therapeutic Focus and Potential

Kalexo Bio will develop 2MW7141 for patients with elevated cholesterol (dyslipidemia) and for the prevention of high-risk atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) events. The asset has shown promise in preclinical models, demonstrating "potent and sustained suppression of target genes with low risk of off-target effects," according to the companies involved.

Joe Jimenez, co-founder and managing director of Aditum Bio and former Novartis CEO, expressed optimism about the potential of 2MW7141 to "change the standard of care in lipid management." This enthusiasm is particularly noteworthy given the recent successes in the siRNA cardiovascular space, such as Novartis's Leqvio (inclisiran).

Aditum Bio's Incubator Model and Recent Ventures

This latest partnership showcases Aditum Bio's unique incubator model for accelerating drug development. The firm provides both funding and development expertise through its in-house team and start-up platform. The Kalexo Bio launch follows a similar pattern to Aditum's recent collaboration with Leads Biolabs, which resulted in the creation of Oblenio Bio less than a year ago.

Oblenio Bio, focused on autoimmune diseases, is developing a tri-specific T-cell engager antibody licensed from Leads Biolabs. That deal structure mirrors the current Mabwell agreement, with Aditum providing funding and Leads receiving potential milestone payments of up to $579 million, along with an equity stake in the new company.