A major pharmaceutical deal announced Monday could reshape treatment options for serious kidney diseases, as Massachusetts-based Biogen secured exclusive marketing rights for a promising experimental drug in Greater China through a partnership potentially worth $850 million.
The agreement with Chinese biotechnology company TJ Biopharma grants Biogen complete worldwide control over felzartamab, an immune disease treatment currently undergoing advanced clinical testing. Biogen’s stock price climbed 1.3% during premarket trading following the announcement.
TJ Biopharma will receive an immediate payment of $100 million, with the possibility of earning an additional $750 million through commercial success benchmarks and sales targets, along with ongoing royalty payments from Greater China sales.
Felzartamab is currently being evaluated in final-phase clinical studies for treating IgA nephropathy and primary membranous nephropathy, both serious kidney conditions that can progress to complete organ failure if left untreated.
Biogen originally obtained this drug through its $1.8 billion acquisition of Human Immunology Biosciences in 2024. Human Immunology had previously secured global development and marketing rights from MorphoSys, which is now part of pharmaceutical giant Novartis, though those rights excluded Greater China.
As part of this new arrangement, Biogen will assume all financial obligations related to milestone payments and royalties owed to MorphoSys under the original licensing agreement.
The partnership builds upon collaborative research efforts that began in April 2025, when TJ Biopharma joined Biogen-sponsored late-stage clinical trials testing felzartamab’s effectiveness against both kidney disease conditions.
Chinese health authorities are currently reviewing the drug as a potential treatment for multiple myeloma, a form of blood cancer that affects bone marrow.
Should regulatory approval be granted, Biogen plans to oversee manufacturing operations and marketing efforts throughout the Greater China region, while TJ Biopharma will continue producing the treatment for multiple myeloma applications at its manufacturing facility in Hangzhou.
