Arbutus Biopharma, Warminster, has entered a $300 million licensing and partnership deal with a Chinese biopharmaceutical firm. enters into $300M deal for experimental hepatitis B drug with Chinese pharma firm. John George of the Philadelphia Business Journal covered the arrangement between the domestic firm and Qilu Pharmaceutical of Jinan.

Under the pact, Qilu obtained exclusive rights in mainline China, Hong Kong, Macau, and Taiwan to AB-729, the Arbutus lead drug candidate for hepatitis B.

In exchange, the domestic end of the deal receives:

• $40 million in upfront payments
• Up to $245 million in development and commercialization milestone payments
• Double-digit tiered royalties
• A $15 million equity investment

William Collier, CEO of Arbutus, called Qilu an “ideal partner” because of the company’s extensive development, regulatory and commercialization capabilities in China.

“We are now positioned to bring AB-729 to the largest hepatitis B virus patient population in need of a cure, and to tap into one of the largest and most promising health care markets worldwide,” Collier said.

More on this Arbutus Biopharma licensing/partnership deal is at the Philadelphia Business Journal.