Chugai and Araris Biotech AG Enter License Agreement for Araris' Linker-Payload ADC Technology AraLinQ®
TOKYO, JAPAN, February 10, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. (TOKYO: 4519, hereafter "Chugai") and Araris Biotech AG (hereafter "Araris") today announced that Chugai has exercised its option under the Research Collaboration and Option to License Agreement ("RCO") previously announced by Araris in 2025. The exercised option grants Chugai a license to Araris’ proprietary AraLinQ® linker-payload platform for the generation of novel ADCs against one target selected by Chugai.
“Araris' innovative AraLinQ® technology is expected to deliver therapeutic effects in a tumor-selective manner by efficiently conjugating multiple anticancer payloads to a single antibody. By combining this technology with our core strength in antibody engineering, we aim to create innovative cancer therapeutics with enhanced efficacy and safety,” said Dr. Osamu Okuda, President and CEO of Chugai.
"We are very pleased that Chugai has elected to exercise its option to license our AraLinQ® technology for the development of next-generation ADCs with enhanced efficacy and tolerability. We are proud of the scientific progress achieved through this collaboration to date and look forward to seeing this program advance toward the clinic” said Dr. Dragan Grabulovski, CEO of Araris.
Dr. Filippo Mulinacci, CBO of Araris, stated: “Chugai’s decision to license AraLinQ® technology represents a significant milestone for Araris. It further validates the scientific progress achieved by our team and reinforces Araris’ positioning as a partner of choice for the development of highly differentiated, multi-payload ADCs with antibody-like pharmacokinetics and exceptional linker stability.”
With the exercise of the option, Araris will receive an immediate upfront payment and may receive additional milestone payments and royalties on potential commercial sales. The overall RCO provides for a total potential consideration of approximately up to USD 780 million, subject to the exercise of all options and achievement of certain milestones.
[Reference]
Araris Biotech AG Announces Research Collaboration and Option to License Agreement with Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. to Develop Next-Generation ADCs Using Araris' AraLinQᵀᴹ technology (Press release by Araris issued on January 8, 2025）
https://www.ararisbiotech.com/docs/250106_250108-araris-chugai-pr.pdf
About Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, is a research-based pharmaceutical company with world-class drug discovery capabilities, including proprietary antibody engineering technologies. Chugai is committed to creating innovative pharmaceutical products that may satisfy unmet medical needs. Chugai is listed on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. While maintaining autonomy and management independence, Chugai is an important member of the Roche Group. Additional information is available at https://www.chugai-pharm.co.jp/english/
About Araris Biotech AG
Araris Biotech AG, a wholly owned subsidiary of Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ("Taiho"), is a leading biotech company pioneering the future of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and redefining the entire paradigm of targeted cancer therapy and beyond. Araris’ vision is a world without chemotherapy and its proprietary conjugation and groundbreaking multi-payload technology represents a quantum leap forward in ADC design, enabling the transformation of any antibody into an ADC with the goal of better safety and efficacy. By enabling the attachment of multiple, synergistic cancer-fighting payloads to a single antibody in an efficient one-step process, Araris is creating a new generation of smart missiles that deliver the potency of combination chemotherapy in a targeted fashion in order to tackle the persistent challenges of cancer resistance. For more information about our science and pipeline, please visit https://www.ararisbiotech.com/.
Contact:
Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.,
Corporate Communications Dept.,
・Media Relations Group
Tel: +81-3-3273-0881
E-mail: pr@chugai-pharm.co.jp
・Investor Relations Group
Tel: +81-3-3273-0554
E-mail: ir@chugai-pharm.co.jp
Araris Biotech AG
Filippo Mulinacci, CBO
E-mail: partnering@ararisbiotech.com
“Araris' innovative AraLinQ® technology is expected to deliver therapeutic effects in a tumor-selective manner by efficiently conjugating multiple anticancer payloads to a single antibody. By combining this technology with our core strength in antibody engineering, we aim to create innovative cancer therapeutics with enhanced efficacy and safety,” said Dr. Osamu Okuda, President and CEO of Chugai.
"We are very pleased that Chugai has elected to exercise its option to license our AraLinQ® technology for the development of next-generation ADCs with enhanced efficacy and tolerability. We are proud of the scientific progress achieved through this collaboration to date and look forward to seeing this program advance toward the clinic” said Dr. Dragan Grabulovski, CEO of Araris.
Dr. Filippo Mulinacci, CBO of Araris, stated: “Chugai’s decision to license AraLinQ® technology represents a significant milestone for Araris. It further validates the scientific progress achieved by our team and reinforces Araris’ positioning as a partner of choice for the development of highly differentiated, multi-payload ADCs with antibody-like pharmacokinetics and exceptional linker stability.”
With the exercise of the option, Araris will receive an immediate upfront payment and may receive additional milestone payments and royalties on potential commercial sales. The overall RCO provides for a total potential consideration of approximately up to USD 780 million, subject to the exercise of all options and achievement of certain milestones.
[Reference]
Araris Biotech AG Announces Research Collaboration and Option to License Agreement with Chugai Pharmaceutical Co. to Develop Next-Generation ADCs Using Araris' AraLinQᵀᴹ technology (Press release by Araris issued on January 8, 2025）
https://www.ararisbiotech.com/docs/250106_250108-araris-chugai-pr.pdf
About Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.
Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., headquartered in Tokyo, is a research-based pharmaceutical company with world-class drug discovery capabilities, including proprietary antibody engineering technologies. Chugai is committed to creating innovative pharmaceutical products that may satisfy unmet medical needs. Chugai is listed on the Prime Market of the Tokyo Stock Exchange. While maintaining autonomy and management independence, Chugai is an important member of the Roche Group. Additional information is available at https://www.chugai-pharm.co.jp/english/
About Araris Biotech AG
Araris Biotech AG, a wholly owned subsidiary of Taiho Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. ("Taiho"), is a leading biotech company pioneering the future of antibody-drug conjugates (ADCs) and redefining the entire paradigm of targeted cancer therapy and beyond. Araris’ vision is a world without chemotherapy and its proprietary conjugation and groundbreaking multi-payload technology represents a quantum leap forward in ADC design, enabling the transformation of any antibody into an ADC with the goal of better safety and efficacy. By enabling the attachment of multiple, synergistic cancer-fighting payloads to a single antibody in an efficient one-step process, Araris is creating a new generation of smart missiles that deliver the potency of combination chemotherapy in a targeted fashion in order to tackle the persistent challenges of cancer resistance. For more information about our science and pipeline, please visit https://www.ararisbiotech.com/.
Contact:
Chugai Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.,
Corporate Communications Dept.,
・Media Relations Group
Tel: +81-3-3273-0881
E-mail: pr@chugai-pharm.co.jp
・Investor Relations Group
Tel: +81-3-3273-0554
E-mail: ir@chugai-pharm.co.jp
Araris Biotech AG
Filippo Mulinacci, CBO
E-mail: partnering@ararisbiotech.com
Filippo Mulinacci
Araris Biotech AG
fmulinacci@ararisbiotech.com
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