New Delhi: Dr. Reddy’s Laboratories has entered a strategic collaboration and exclusive licensing agreement with Australia-based Immutep Limited to develop and commercialise its late-stage immunotherapy candidate Eftilagimod Alfa (efti) across a wide set of global markets.
Under the pact, Dr. Reddy’s subsidiary will obtain exclusive rights to develop, register, and sell efti in all countries outside North America, Europe, Japan and Greater China. Immutep will retain rights in those key developed markets while supplying the drug globally from its own manufacturing base.
Deal Structure: $20 Million Upfront, Up to $349.5 Million in Milestones
Immutep will receive an upfront payment of USD 20 million, and stands to gain up to USD 349.5 million in potential regulatory and commercial milestone payouts, in addition to double-digit royalties on future sales in the licensed territories.
The transaction does not fall under related-party arrangements, and Immutep has no promoter-group links with Dr. Reddy’s.
Immunotherapy in Phase III Trial
Eftilagimod Alfa is a first-in-class soluble LAG-3 protein and MHC Class II agonist designed to activate antigen-presenting cells and trigger a broad anti-cancer immune response.
The drug is currently being evaluated in TACTI-004 (KEYNOTE-F91), a pivotal Phase III global study for first-line treatment of advanced non-small cell lung cancer. It is also under investigation for head & neck cancer, breast cancer, and soft-tissue sarcoma.
A favourable safety profile has enabled its use in multiple combinations, including with pembrolizumab (Keytruda) and chemotherapy.
M.V. Ramana, CEO – Branded Markets (India & Emerging Markets), said the deal aligns with Dr. Reddy’s push to introduce innovative, first-in-class therapies. He noted that efti has the potential to “set a new standard of care” when used in combination regimens for lung cancer.
Immutep CEO Marc Voigt said the agreement “validates the potential of efti” and positions the company to capture future value while leveraging Dr. Reddy’s commercial reach across high-growth markets.