US-based Rani Therapeutics expands biologics partnership with Korean firm Celltrion

Rani Therapeutics Holdings, a clinical-stage biotherapeutics company focused on the oral delivery of biologics and drugs, has expanded its partnership with South Korea-based Celltrion by entering into an agreement for the development of RT-105, an orally administered adalimumab biosimilar. Rani’s first partnership with Celltrion, for the development of RT-111, an orally administered ustekinumab biosimilar, was announced in January of this year.

Under the terms of the new license and supply agreement, Celltrion will exclusively supply to Rani the adalimumab biosimilar drug substance (CT-P17) required for RT-105. Rani is granted an exclusive license to use CT-P17 in the development and commercialization of RT-105, and Celltrion is granted a right of first negotiation to acquire worldwide rights to RT-105 following a Phase 1 study.

US-based firm Rani has developed an oral delivery technology known as the RaniPill capsule, which is intended to replace subcutaneous or intravenous injection of biologics and drugs with oral dosing. The RaniPill capsule is designed to administer biologics and drugs with bioavailability comparable to subcutaneous injection.

The RaniPill platform is payload-agnostic and has the potential to create an oral option for almost any biologic or drug, regardless of modality or therapeutic area. In this agreement with Celltrion, Rani is applying its oral delivery technology to a TNF- α antibody for the potential treatment of inflammatory diseases.