Seongnam-si, South Korea and Abu Dhabi, UAE, June 09, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- AriBio Co., Ltd. ("AriBio"), a South Korean biopharmaceutical company specializing in neurodegenerative diseases, and a Swiss pharmaceutical company Acino, part of Arcera, a global life sciences company based in Abu Dhabi (collectively “Arcera”), today announced the signing of exclusive licensing and commercialization, and supply agreements for AR1001, an investigational oral therapy for Alzheimer's disease.

Under the terms of the agreements, Arcera will have exclusive rights to commercialize AR1001 in its key markets, including Latin America, the Middle East, Southern Africa, Ukraine and select Eurasian countries. AriBio will be responsible for manufacturing and supplying the product. The total deal value is estimated at USD 600 million across the development, launch and commercialization period, contingent upon the achievement of certain milestones.

AR1001 is a novel, disease-modifying, once-daily oral phosphodiesterase-5 (PDE5) inhibitor currently being studied in a global Phase 3 clinical trial (POLARIS-AD) for the treatment of early-stage Alzheimer's disease. The enrollment target for the Phase 3 trial has been reached, and the topline results are expected in the first half of 2026.

Facilitated by the Korea Development Bank (KDB) and aligned with the Korean government's policy to foster the biohealth industry, this collaboration represents a significant step forward to enhance the global competitiveness of Korea's pharmaceutical and biotech industry.

"This partnership with Arcera marks a significant milestone in our mission to bring innovative treatments to patients worldwide," said Jai Jun Choung, CEO of AriBio. "Arcera's strong commercial capabilities and deep understanding of the high-growth markets make them an ideal partner to advance AR1001 in these important regions."

"We are excited to enter into this collaboration with AriBio, which will provide access to AR1001, a novel treatment, for patients across these countries," said Isabel Afonso, CEO of Arcera. "This agreement aligns with our strategy to expand our neuroscience portfolio and reinforces our commitment to providing access to novel therapies in regions with significant unmet medical needs."

The agreement underscores both companies' dedication to addressing unmet medical needs in neurodegenerative diseases and enhancing patient access to innovative therapies globally. This deal follows the Memorandum of Understanding signed between AriBio and Arcera in March 2025, where both parties agreed to strengthen their partnership by actively exploring strategic investments, and advancing joint research and development based on shared interests.

ENDS

About AriBio Co., Ltd.

Founded in 2010, AriBio is a clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company headquartered in South Korea, with offices located in the United States to manage global clinical operations and regulatory affairs. The company focuses on the development of novel therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, including Alzheimer's disease. AriBio continues to expand its partnerships to accelerate the development and delivery of life-changing treatments to patients worldwide.

About Arcera
Arcera is a global life sciences company, headquartered in Abu Dhabi. Arcera develops, manufactures, and commercializes a broad range of high-quality proven and innovative medicines in key international markets. Its portfolio exceeds 2,000 medicines covering wide therapeutic areas which reach patients in ninety countries in four continents, backed by manufacturing and packing sites across the world. Arcera was established by the sovereign wealth fund, ADQ to realize Abu Dhabi's ambition as a global leader in innovative and sustainable healthcare. To learn more about Arcera, visit www.arceralifesciences.com. 

Contact:
Tanya Xi, MD, PhD, MBA, Senior Director, Business Development & Medical Affairs, AriBio (US)
AriBio Co., Ltd.
tanyaxi@aribiousa.com

Rafael Ferrer, SVP Corporate Development.  
Arcera
rferrer@arceralifesciences.com