Pasadena Pharmaceutical Company Earns $10 Million Option Fee for Hepatitis B Drug

Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Inc. in Pasadena has secured a $10 million option exercise fee after a subsidiary of Johnson & Johnson revealed its intent to purchase and further develop a drug from the company used to treat chronic hepatitis B, Arrowhead announced Tuesday.

Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., part of the Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies of Johnson & Johnson, disclosed it intends to exercise its option, which garners the significant fee for Arrowhead, and grants Hannsen all rights, licenses and obligations to develop and commercialize ARO-JNJ1, described as an investigational RNAi therapeutic candidate using Arrowhead’s proprietary Targeted RNAi Molecule, or TRiM, platform, according to Arrowhead representatives

The two companies first entered into a research collaboration and option agreement in October 2018, Arrowhead said in a written statement.

Arrowhead President and CEO Chris Anzalone said the agreement represented a significant milestone.

“The collaboration with Janssen, which was executed in 2018 for ARO-HBV against chronic hepatitis B infection, and potentially three additional programs, has been highly productive and collaborative,” Anzalone said.

“We are thrilled that Janssen has decided to exercise its option on ARO-JNJ1 and move forward with clinical studies,” Anzalone added. “We look forward to continued collaboration and progress as Janssen advances these potentially important new medicines.”

More information on Arrowhead Pharmaceuticals Inc. is available on the company’s website at arrowheadpharma.com.