Cinclus Pharma Holding, a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on developing novel therapies for the treatment of gastric acid-related diseases, has announced an agreement with Zentiva, a European pharmaceutical company, for the commercialisation and manufacturing of its lead asset, linaprazan glurate, in Europe.
PeopleImages.com - Yuri A Shutterstock
The product is a next-generation potassium-competitive acid blocker (PCAB) designed for the treatment of severe erosive gastroesophageal reflux disease (eGERD). The addressable market is estimated at 19 million patients globally, including approx. 10 million across Europe and US. Cinclus Pharma expects to initiate its first Phase III study with linaprazan glurate in Q3 2025.
The total deal value, including an upfront payment and all regulatory and commercial milestones is up to €220 million. As part of the transaction, Zentiva will make an upfront payment of €13 million and Cinclus Pharma is eligible for a near-term milestone payment of €5 million in 2026. Cinclus Pharma is also eligible to receive tiered double-digit royalties on net sales in Europe, starting in the high teens and exceeding 20% at the highest tiers.
“The alliance with Zentiva marks a significant inflection point for Cinclus Pharma,” said Christer Ahlberg, CEO of Cinclus Pharma. “We are particularly excited given Zentiva’s commercial reach and operational strength across Europe. This alliance establishes a fully integrated set of capabilities covering everything necessary to bring linaprazan glurate to the market across Europe. The alliance benefits from world-leading expertise in gastroenterology-focused development, regulatory affairs, manufacturing and commercialisation. This collaboration not only de-risks our path to European approval but also positions us to capture significant global value, particularly in the US market where we retain full commercial rights and see a substantial commercial opportunity.”
“This partnership marks a key milestone for Zentiva as we continue expanding our portfolio beyond generics into high-value specialty medicines. Linaprazan glurate is a complementary asset that perfectly fits our strategy to leverage our excellence in generics and deliver game-changing treatments to patients across Europe. With our strong pan-European commercial platform, we are proud to be the trusted partner to bring this innovative therapy to those suffering from severe erosive GERD,” said Martin Albert, CSO, Zentiva.