Visara Licenses VIS-102 for Neurotrophic Keratitis in $111M Deal
NBP is trading near its 52-week low of $1.31 (2.3% above the low).
Summary
Visara licensed VIS-102, an investigational rhNGF therapy for neurotrophic keratitis, from Wuhan Hiteck for $7 million upfront and up to $104 million in milestones, expanding its ophthalmology pipeline into ocular surface disease.
Key Events · M&A and Partnerships · NBP
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Exclusive License for VIS-102
Visara secured exclusive worldwide rights (excluding Greater China) to develop and commercialize VIS-102 (HT006.2.2) from Wuhan Hiteck for neurotrophic keratitis.
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Deal Terms: $7M Upfront, $104M Milestones
Visara will pay $7.0 million upfront and near-term, plus up to $104.0 million in clinical development and commercialization milestones, with tiered single-digit royalties on net sales.
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Phase 1b Efficacy Data
In Chinese subjects with severe NK, the highest dose cohort achieved 50% complete corneal healing after an 8-week course versus 14% for vehicle control at Week 4; crossover subjects achieved 43% healing after 4 weeks.
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Pipeline Expansion Beyond Retinal Disease
VIS-102 becomes Visara's second clinical-stage program, complementing VIS-101 for neovascular retinal diseases and extending the franchise into neuroprotection and rare ocular surface disease.
Analysis · NBP · Life Sciences
NovaBridge's majority-owned ophthalmology subsidiary Visara has in-licensed VIS-102, a next-generation rhNGF therapy for neurotrophic keratitis, from Wuhan Hiteck. The deal expands Visara's pipeline beyond retinal disease into ocular surface disease, with $7 million upfront and up to $104 million in milestones. Phase 1b data showed 50% complete corneal healing in the highest dose cohort versus 14% for vehicle control, supporting the decision to advance the program. The transaction adds a second clinical-stage asset to Visara and diversifies NovaBridge's ophthalmology franchise, though the milestone obligations represent a significant future cash commitment for a company that reported a $37.9 million H1 2026 net loss.
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At the time of this filing, NBP was trading at $1.34 on NASDAQ in the Life Sciences sector, with a market capitalization of approximately $153.1M. The 52-week trading range was $1.31 to $6.79. This filing was assessed with positive market sentiment and an importance score of 7 out of 10.