LUND, SE / ACCESS Newswire / September 11, 2025 / Cantargia AB (publ) (Nasdaq Stockholm:CANTA) today announced that Cantargia and its partner Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (Otsuka) have closed Otsuka's acquisition of the anti-IL1RAP antibody program CAN10 from Cantargia. Cantargia will thus receive an upfront payment of USD 33 million.
On July 15, 2025, Cantargia announced that an agreement had been entered regarding the acquisition of the IL1RAP antibody program CAN10 by Otsuka. The acquisition has now been closed. Under the terms of the agreement, Cantargia will receive an upfront payment of USD 33 million in cash. In addition, Cantargia is eligible to receive up to?USD 580 million comprising development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments, which brings the total value up to USD 613 million. Further, tiered royalties up to double digits on global sales are applicable. Otsuka will direct and perform all future development, apply for regulatory approvals and exclusively carry out manufacturing and commercialization of the product worldwide.
"I am very pleased that we have closed this transaction with Otsuka," said Hilde Steineger, CEO at Cantargia. "With Otsuka, CAN10 will be developed by an organization that has the financial resources, the focus and development capabilities that CAN10 deserves. We look forward to a long and fruitful collaboration with Otsuka and to delivering much needed new treatments to patients."
The CAN10 antibody binds strongly to its target IL1RAP and has a unique capability to simultaneously inhibit signaling of the cytokines of the IL1-super family via IL-1, IL-33 and IL-36. Inhibition of these signals can be of significant value in the treatment of several inflammatory or autoimmune diseases. CAN10 is currently being tested in a Clinical Phase 1 study, investigating the antibody in healthy volunteers and psoriasis patients. In addition to the lead candidate, the program includes a pre-clinical back-up IL1RAP antibody, 3G5.
For further information, please contact
Hilde Steineger, CEO
Telephone: +46 (0)46-275 62 60
E-mail: info@cantargia.com
About Cantargia
Cantargia AB (publ), reg. no. 556791-6019, is a biotechnology company that develops antibody-based treatments for life-threatening diseases and has established a platform based on the protein IL1RAP, involved in a number of cancer forms and inflammatory diseases. Cantargia's oncology program, the antibody nadunolimab (CAN04), is being studied clinically, primarily in combination with chemotherapy with a focus on pancreatic cancer, non-small cell lung cancer and triple-negative breast cancer. Positive data for the combinations indicate stronger efficacy than would be expected from chemotherapy alone. Cantargia's second development program, the antibody CAN10, blocks signaling via IL1RAP in a different manner than nadunolimab and addresses treatment of serious autoimmune/inflammatory diseases. Cantargia has entered an agreement with Otsuka Pharmaceutical on the acquisition of the CAN10 program.
Cantargia is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (ticker: CANTA). More information about Cantargia is available at www.cantargia.com .
About CAN10
The CAN10 antibody binds strongly to its target IL1RAP and has a unique capability to simultaneously inhibit signaling of the cytokines of the IL1-super family via IL-1, IL-33 and IL-36. Inhibition of these signals can be of significant value in the treatment of several inflammatory or autoimmune diseases. In preclinical in vivo models of inflammatory diseases, such as systemic sclerosis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, atherosclerosis, myocarditis and peritonitis, a CAN10 surrogate antibody significantly reduced the development of the disease. A clinical phase 1 study, investigating CAN10 in healthy volunteers and psoriasis patients, is ongoing.
Attachments
Cantargia closes the acquisition of CAN10 by Otsuka
SOURCE: Cantargia
View the original press release on ACCESS Newswire:
https://www.accessnewswire.com/newsroom/en/healthcare-and-pharmaceutical/cantargia-closes-the-acquisition-of-can10-by-otsuka-1071672
