Pharma BD Deal Intelligence

GlaxoSmithKline plc / Frontier Biotechnologies Inc.

2026 · Licensing/Option · $1.0B · Complete

GSK entered a global exclusive licensing agreement with Shanghai Stock Exchange-listed Frontier Biotechnologies for two early-stage siRNA therapeutic candidates targeting inflammation-driven kidney diseases. GSK pays $40 million upfront with up to $963 million in development, regulatory, and commercial milestones, plus tiered royalties on global sales. Frontier advances the assets through Phase 1 in China and completes IND-enabling work; GSK assumes subsequent global clinical development, regulatory submissions, and commercialization. The deal extends GSK's siRNA pipeline following its earlier $745M Empirico COPD siRNA pact.

Key facts

• Announced Feb 24, 2026
• Closed Feb 24, 2026
• Deal value $1.0B
• Deal type Licensing/Option
• Therapeutic area Kidney diseases driven by inflammation
• Indications Kidney diseases driven by inflammation
• Key assets Two early-stage siRNA candidates (one IND-enabling, one preclinical)
• Mechanism Small interfering RNA (siRNA) therapeutics enabling precise gene silencing of previously undruggable targets in the liver/kidney axis for inflammation-driven kidney disease

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