Boryung Signs Licensing-In Agreement for New Blood Cancer Drug "Expovio"

Exclusive Rights Secured for Domestic Distribution, Sales, and Regulatory Approval
New Selective XPO1 Inhibitor Expands Reimbursement to Second-Line or Later Therapy This Month

Boryung announced on March 4 that it has signed a domestic licensing agreement with Antengene, a Chinese company specializing in anticancer drugs, for the blood cancer treatment Expovio (active ingredient: selinexor). Through this contract, Boryung has obtained exclusive rights for distribution, sales, and regulatory approval of Expovio in Korea. Expovio has been supplied in Korea since February this year.

Blood cancer new drug Xpovio product image. Boryung

Expovio is a selective XPO1 inhibitor. It works by blocking exportin 1 (XPO1), a nuclear export protein that transports tumor suppressor proteins out of the nucleus in cancer cells, thereby causing these tumor suppressor proteins to accumulate in the nucleus. This mechanism promotes the death of cancer cells.

Expovio received approval from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in 2019 and from the European Medicines Agency in 2021. In Korea, it obtained regulatory approval in 2021.

The approved indications are relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma and diffuse large B-cell lymphoma. In particular, multiple myeloma is an area where repeated treatments often result in resistance to existing therapies, creating a need for new drugs with different mechanisms of action. Expovio is an orally administered therapy, which also improves convenience for patients requiring long-term treatment.

Up until now, Expovio was reimbursed only for "fifth or later-line therapy in combination with dexamethasone." However, as of March 1, the reimbursement criteria have expanded to include "second or later-line therapy in combination with bortezomib and dexamethasone." This broadens access to patients in the early stages of relapse.

With the introduction of this drug, Boryung now has a portfolio of eight blood cancer treatments. The company plans to strengthen its strategy by focusing on its dedicated hematologic cancer team to provide comprehensive care throughout the entire treatment cycle, from initial diagnosis to relapsed and refractory stages.

Baekmin Sung, Head of BD & Marketing at Boryung, stated, "This is a new oral blood cancer therapy with a novel mechanism that can complement existing treatment paradigms," adding, "We aim to provide more meaningful options for healthcare professionals and patients."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.