Dianthus Therapeutics Enters Into Exclusive DNTH212 Licensing Deal With Nanjing Leads Biolabs

(RTTNews) - Dianthus Therapeutics, Inc. (DNTH), Thursday announced an exclusive licensing agreement with Nanjing Leads Biolabs Co., Ltd. for DNTH212, an investigational, extended half-life bifunctional fusion protein with a potential to address multiple autoimmune indications.

As per the deal, Dianthus will pay Leads Biolabs up to $38 million, comprising of upfront and near-term milestone payments of $30 million, and an additional milestone payment of $8 million to be paid upon the initiation of a Dianthus-led Phase 1 study, for exclusive rights to develop and commercialize DNTH212 globally outside of Greater China.

In addition to this, Leads Biolabs will also be eligible to receive up to an additional $962 million in total development and regulatory approval milestones and sales-based milestones across multiple indications, as well as tiered royalties from mid-single digits up to a low double-digit on ex-Greater China net sales.

Dr. Xiaoqiang Kang, Founder, Chairman and CEO of Leads Biolabs, commented, "This collaboration reinforces our commitment to advancing highly innovative drug candidates into the clinic to address serious autoimmune conditions, while further diversifying our pipeline and positioning Leads Biolabs for long-term growth."

Meanwhile, a two-part Phase 1 study of DNTH212 is expected to initiate by year end 2025 in China, with top-line results in healthy volunteers expected in the second half of 2026.

In the pre-market hours, DNTH is trading at $36.98, up 2.15 percent on the Nasdaq.