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Photo courtesy of Yonhap News |
[Alpha Biz= Kim Jisun] SEOUL, June 2, 2026 — Hanmi Pharmaceutical has signed a global licensing agreement with Eli Lilly for its GLP-2-based drug candidate efinepaglutide (Sonefpeglylutide), in a deal worth up to $1.26 billion, marking a renewed validation of its proprietary platform technology.
Under the agreement, Eli Lilly will obtain rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize the candidate globally. The total deal includes an upfront payment of $75 million, with up to $1.185 billion in milestone payments tied to clinical development, regulatory approvals, and commercialization. Hanmi will also receive royalties based on future sales.
The drug candidate targets short bowel syndrome (SBS), a rare gastrointestinal condition in which patients are unable to absorb sufficient nutrients due to significant loss of small intestine. Current treatments often require long-term parenteral nutrition (PN), while GLP-2 therapies aim to improve intestinal absorption and reduce dependence on such interventions.
Sonefpeglylutide is designed for once-monthly dosing, enabled by Hanmi’s proprietary LAPScovery platform, which extends the half-life of biologic drugs. This could offer a significant advantage over existing therapies, such as those developed by Takeda Pharmaceutical, which require daily administration.
The deal is seen as a major endorsement of Hanmi’s LAPScovery platform, which had previously faced setbacks after earlier licensing agreements with Sanofi and Johnson & Johnson were returned.
Despite those challenges, Hanmi has continued to advance its pipeline. Another LAPScovery-based candidate was later licensed to Merck & Co. after a change in indication, underscoring the platform’s ongoing potential.
Hanmi said it will continue to conduct its ongoing global Phase 2 trials for the SBS indication, while Eli Lilly will lead subsequent clinical development and commercialization efforts.
The agreement highlights growing global interest in long-acting biologics and reinforces Hanmi’s position in the competitive metabolic and rare disease treatment landscape.
Alphabiz Reporter Kim Jisun(stockmk2020@alphabiz.co.kr)
