Asahi Kasei Pharma has announced a global license agreement with Alchemedicine to strengthen its drug discovery pipeline. 

The agreement means Asahi Kasei Pharma can research, develop, manufacture, and commercialise Alchemedicine’s novel lead compounds, which are currently at the preclinical stage. 

The compounds were identified using Alchemedicine’s drug discovery platform, HiSAP1 and are expected to have therapeutic potential for multiple autoimmune diseases. The specific target indications will be determined by Asahi Kasei Pharma as development progresses. 

“Strengthening our research capabilities through open innovation is a strategic priority as we work toward Asahi Kasei Group’s goal of $3 billion in pharmaceutical sales by 2030,” said Yoshikazu Aoki, President of Asahi Kasei Pharma. 

“We will continue to pursue partnerships that deliver innovative medicines and drive sustainable growth.” 

“By combining Alchemedicine’s differentiated drug discovery technology with our expertise in drug development, we aim to develop a high-potential therapeutic candidate that addresses unmet medical needs through open innovation,” added Kazunobu Konishi, Senior General Manager of the Pharmaceuticals Research Center at Asahi Kasei Pharma. 

This latest announcement represents the second license agreement between the two companies, following an initial license agreement in June 2022.  

Asahi Kasei acquires Aicuris Anti-infective Cures for €780m

Asahi Kasei’s agreement with Alchemedicine comes as the company entered an agreement to acquire German biopharmaceutical company Aicuris Anti-infective Cures for a fee in the region of €780 million. 

The acquisition marks the expansion of Asahi Kasei’s specialty pharmaceutical platform into severe infectious diseases, with the deal expected to close in the first quarter of fiscal 2026, subject to customary conditions. 

Asahi Kasei already has a presence in severe infectious diseases with its established core transplant (Veloxis) and nephrology (Calliditas) subsidiaries, where infection-related complications remain a significant clinical concern.

By leveraging its established commercial infrastructure across transplant centres and nephrology providers, together with its advanced R&D capabilities, Asahi Kasei expects to accelerate the development and commercialisation of Aicuris’s pipeline while enhancing operating efficiency and long-term earnings. 

“This acquisition strengthens our position across interconnected therapeutic areas, including autoimmune diseases, transplantation, kidney disease, and severe infectious diseases,” stated Ken Shinomiya, Head of Asahi Kasei’s Healthcare Sector. 

“It enhances our pipeline and reinforces our strategy to build a leading global specialty pharmaceutical company. 

“Given the strategic alignment of this asset and the opportunity to expand within an area where we already have an established presence, we acted in a nimble and disciplined manner to advance our long-term growth objectives.  

“This transaction accords with our capital allocation framework and supports our objective of achieving net sales of ¥300 billion in Pharmaceuticals with an operating margin of 15% or higher by fiscal 2030.”