Key Highlights
- Lupin’s wholly owned subsidiary VISUfarma has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Visus Therapeutics.
- The agreement covers commercialisation of YUVEZZI across specified European markets.
- Territories include the European Union, UK, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland.
- YUVEZZI is an ophthalmic solution indicated for presbyopia, the age-related loss of clear near vision.
- VISUfarma will receive rights covering regulatory activities, marketing, promotion, distribution and sales.
- The total potential consideration through first commercial sales is up to €75 million.
- The deal includes a €20 million strategic investment through a SAFE instrument.
- Up to €55 million can be paid through regulatory and commercial milestones.
- Tenpoint and Visus are also eligible for royalties based on net sales and additional sales milestone payments.
- Lupin expects the partnership to strengthen its vision-care franchise and European presence.
New Delhi, August 20: Pharma major Lupin Ltd’s wholly owned subsidiary VISUfarma BV has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with Visus Therapeutics Inc to commercialise YUVEZZI, an ophthalmic treatment for presbyopia, across several major European markets.
Visus Therapeutics is a wholly owned subsidiary of Tenpoint Therapeutics Holding Ltd.
Under the agreement, VISUfarma will receive exclusive rights covering regulatory activities, commercialisation, marketing, promotion, distribution and sale of YUVEZZI in the European Union, the UK, Switzerland, Norway and Iceland, Lupin said in a regulatory filing.
Deal carries potential value of up to €75 million
The total potential consideration under the agreement is up to €75 million through first commercial sales in the licensed territories.
The transaction includes a €20 million strategic investment by VISUfarma in the capital stock of Visus or its parent entity through a Simple Agreement for Future Equity, or SAFE, instrument.
The SAFE provides the right to receive capital stock in Visus or its parent upon the occurrence of specified equity financing or public listing events.
The agreement also provides for up to €55 million in regulatory and commercial milestone payments.
Royalties linked to future sales
In addition to the investment and milestone payments, Tenpoint and Visus, individually or collectively, will be eligible for tiered royalties based on net sales.
The agreement also includes additional sales milestone payments when specified sales thresholds are achieved in the licensed markets.
The structure therefore combines an upfront strategic investment with regulatory, commercial and sales-linked consideration.
YUVEZZI targets presbyopia
YUVEZZI is a carbachol and brimonidine tartrate ophthalmic solution with strengths of 2.75 per cent and 0.1 per cent, respectively.
The product is indicated for presbyopia, a condition in which the eyes gradually lose their ability to focus clearly on nearby objects.
According to the company, YUVEZZI is the first and only approved once-daily dual-agent eye drop for the condition.
The treatment therefore adds a differentiated product to Lupin’s growing specialty ophthalmology portfolio.
VISUfarma gets broad commercial rights
VISUfarma will be responsible for bringing YUVEZZI to the specified European markets, subject to applicable regulatory processes.
Its rights extend beyond sales and distribution to include regulatory activities, marketing and promotion.
The arrangement gives Lupin an opportunity to use VISUfarma’s existing ophthalmology presence and commercial infrastructure to introduce the product across multiple European countries.
Lupin strengthens vision care franchise
Lupin CEO Vinita Gupta said the partnership builds on the company’s strategic acquisition of VISUfarma and further strengthens its vision-care franchise.
She said the addition of YUVEZZI supports Lupin’s objective of expanding access to differentiated therapies, improving patient outcomes and reinforcing its position in eye care across the licensed territories.
The deal also reflects Lupin’s strategy of expanding in specialty pharmaceutical segments alongside its broader global pharmaceutical operations.
Tenpoint sees strong European partner
Tenpoint Therapeutics CEO Henric Bjarke highlighted Lupin’s commercial operations across major European markets and VISUfarma’s established presence in ophthalmology.
The partnership gives Tenpoint and Visus access to an established commercial network as they seek to bring YUVEZZI to European patients.
For Lupin, the agreement adds another specialised ophthalmic therapy to a business that the company has been expanding through acquisitions and partnerships.
European eye care presence expands
The transaction combines Lupin and VISUfarma’s European commercial capabilities with a differentiated presbyopia therapy developed by Visus.
Subject to regulatory and commercial milestones, the partnership could strengthen Lupin’s position in specialty eye care across the EU and other licensed European markets.
It also demonstrates the increasing use of licensing partnerships by pharmaceutical companies to expand specialty portfolios and enter new therapeutic markets without relying exclusively on internally developed medicines,
