KUALA LUMPUR, Angelini Pharma, a unit of Angelini Industries, has signed an exclusive global option agreement with South Korea’s Sovargen to co-develop and commercialise SVG105, a new brain health therapy.
Under the deal, both companies will jointly lead preclinical development. Following the option period, Angelini Pharma will hold the rights to advance SVG105 into clinical trials and commercialisation outside South Korea, China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan.
Sovargen will receive upfront and milestone payments worth up to US$550 million (RM2.3 billion), along with tiered royalties on net sales once approved.
“Neurological conditions such as epilepsy continue to pose major challenges, with many patients not responding to existing treatments. This partnership aims to bring new solutions to patients in need,” said Angelini Pharma CEO Jacopo Andreose.
Sovargen CEO Cheolwon Park added, “Working with Angelini Pharma allows us to accelerate SVG105’s potential to transform brain health therapies.”
SVG105 is a first-in-class antisense oligonucleotide designed to target mTOR, a genetically validated pathway linked to several neurological disorders, including drug-resistant childhood epilepsy.
The partnership strengthens Angelini Pharma’s growing brain health portfolio, which already includes therapies for rare genetic epilepsies, central nervous system disorders, and biologics designed to cross the blood-brain barrier.
Brain health issues affect millions globally, with epilepsy alone impacting about 50 million people worldwide — up to 40% of whom remain resistant to treatment. This agreement reflects Angelini Pharma’s commitment to tackling unmet needs in neurological diseases through innovative approaches.
