Viridian Signs $385M Japan Licensing Deal For Thyroid Eye Disease

Viridian Therapeutics has entered an exclusive collaboration and licensing agreement with Kissei Pharmaceutical to develop and commercialize two thyroid eye disease therapies, veligrotug and VRDN-003, in Japan. Under the deal, Viridian will receive a $70 million upfront payment and may earn up to $315 million in milestone payments, plus tiered royalties ranging from the 20s to mid-30s percent on net sales. Kissei will manage all development, regulatory, and commercialization efforts and costs within Japan, leveraging its expertise in rare disease treatments. VRDN-003 is positioned as a potential best-in-class, subcutaneous, half-life extended anti-IGF-1R antibody sharing the same binding domain as veligrotug. Both therapies target thyroid eye disease, an autoimmune disorder causing inflammation and tissue damage around the eyes, addressing significant unmet medical needs in the Japanese market. Viridian’s CEO Steve Mahoney and Kissei’s CEO Mutsuo Kanzawa expressed enthusiasm about the partnership and its potential impact on TED patients.