Creating value with the best minds
An important part of BioArctic’s strategy is partnership and licensing agreements with leading pharma and biopharma companies. In addition to financial compensation, we benefit from the companies’ competence in developing, manufacturing and commercializing drugs. We have signed several agreements with the global Japanese pharma company Eisai. Strategic partnerships of this nature, with leading global companies, confirms the high degree of quality in BioArctic’s research.
In the future, BioArctic may sign additional agreements that could contribute further funding to the company, as well as complementary competencies in pre-clinical research and clinical development, competence in manufacturing and marketing, geographical breadth, and other resources. Close collaborations with universities are another important cornerstone to us. We currently collaborate with leading researchers at a number of the world’s leading research institutions.
Partnership with Eisai
In 2005, BioArctic signed the first research collaboration with Eisai, and in 2007 we signed a license agreement concerning the antibody lecanemab back-up, as a disease modifying treatment of Alzheimer’s disease. As part of the agreement, we were granted the use of a global and exclusive license to Eisai for research, development and commercialization of drugs that use the antibody lecanemab. In 2008, we entered a second research collaboration concerning back-up antibody Lecanemab back-up, and in 2015 we signed a license agreement concerning Lecanemab back-up, a follow-up project to Lecanemab back-up.
Eisai is responsible for the clinical development, applications for market approval and commercialization of the future products. BioArctic holds rights to commercialize the licensed antibodies in the Nordic region and the rights to treatment of indications other than Alzheimer’s disease. We have signed a number of agreements with Eisai totaling a potential value of over MEUR 220 plus royalties.
In April 2024 BioArctic and Eisai entered into a research evaluation agreement regarding BAN2802, a potential new treatment combining BioArctic’s proprietary BrainTransporter™ technology with an undisclosed Alzheimer drug candidate. At the end of the collaboration, Eisai will evaluate the data generated and decide if they chose to exercise an option to license BAN2802 for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease.
Partnership with Bristol Myers Squibb
in December 2024 BioArctic entered into a global license agreement with Bristol Myers Squibb, under which Bristol Myers Squibb is solely responsible for the development and any subsequent commercialization of BAN1503 and BAN2803 and related products worldwide.
BioArctic’s PyroGlu-Aβ antibody program consists of novel antibodies targeting a specific truncated, pyroglutamate modified form of amyloid-beta. Monomers of PyroGlu-Aβ are highly prone to aggregate, leading to the formation of harmful aggregates which cause debilitating cognitive and other symptoms in Alzheimer’s disease. The agreement includes both the BAN1503 and BAN2803 antibodies. BAN2803 includes BioArctic’s BrainTransporter.
The agreement with Bristol Myers Squibb is the first license agreement with BrainTransporter. It specifically concerns PyroGlu-Aβ antibody treatments.
Partnership with Novartis
In August 2025, BioArctic entered into an agreement with Novartis Pharma AG regarding a potential new treatment combining BioArctic’s proprietary BrainTransporter with an undisclosed target in neurodegenerative diseases.
Under the initial research collaboration, BioArctic will generate a new drug candidate combining BrainTransporter with a Novartis proprietary antibody. Should Novartis decide to exercise their option following the evaluation of the genereted drug candidate, Novartis will assume full responsibility for the global development and commercialization of the drug candidate and related products.
BioArctic has retained all other rights for use of BrainTransporter. The BrainTransporter could be used in a number of different therapy areas for delivery of biologic molecules to the brain, giving BioArctic many potential future partnering opportunities.
Other partnerships
BioArctic is additionally collaborating with several Swedish universitites and other foreign actors. We work closely with Uppsala University, Karolinska Institutet and Gothenburgs University.