Biotechnology company Ionis Pharmaceuticals Inc (Nasdaq:IONS) announced on Tuesday that it has entered into an expanded licensing agreement with Japan's Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co Ltd for donidalorsen, an investigational RNA-targeted therapy for hereditary angioedema (HAE).

Otsuka gains exclusive commercialisation rights in the Asia-Pacific region, adding to its commercialisation rights in Europe. Ionis retains responsibility for global development and plans a US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) filing this year for independent launch in the United States.

The agreement includes a USD20m upfront payment to Ionis with potential milestone and royalty payments tied to regulatory and sales achievements.

Otsuka's regional expertise and infrastructure aim to deliver donidalorsen to HAE patients across Asia-Pacific.