LENZ Therapeutics, Inc.  and Lotus Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd. y announced an exclusive license and commercialization agreement for Lotus to commercialize LNZ100 for the treatment of presbyopia in the Republic of Korea and certain countries in Southeast Asia. LENZ Therapeutics is a pre-commercial stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development and commercialization of the first and only aceclidine-based eye drop to improve near vision in people with presbyopia. Lotus is a leading global pharmaceutical company focused on commercializing novel pharmaceuticals to provide patients with better, safer and more accessible medicines.

Under the terms of the licensing and commercialization agreement, LENZ will receive up to $125 million in upfront, regulatory and commercial milestone payments, as well as tiered, double-digit royalties on future net sales. Lotus will have exclusive development, manufacturing, registration and commercialization rights for LNZ100 for the treatment of presbyopia in the Republic of Korea and certain countries in Southeast Asia, including Thailand, Philippines, Vietnam, Malaysia, Brunei, Indonesia and Singapore.

“We are very excited to partner with the team at Lotus to bring LNZ100 to Southeast Asia, given their proven track record for successful global partnerships, robust commercial infrastructure in the region and six consecutive years of double-digit revenue growth, now exceeding USD $500 million. Upon approval, we look forward to the Lotus team bringing LNZ100 to this important and commercially attractive region,” said Eef Schimmelpennink, President and Chief Executive Officer of LENZ Therapeutics. “We are committed to partnering with leading commercial pharmaceutical companies ex-US, providing access to LNZ100 for patients worldwide.”

Petar Vazharov, Chief Executive Officer of Lotus Pharmaceutical, commented: “We are very pleased to be the trusted partner of LENZ to help bring such a transformative product that will significantly enhance the lives of more than 100 million people in this region who are currently impacted by presbyopia. Our commitment to excellence drives us to diligently pursue the necessary regulatory approvals and eventually leverage our extensive network of channels to ensure seamless access to this life-altering solution. Our dedication to innovation and safety remains unwavering as we continuously strive to provide better and safer pharmaceuticals to the markets that we serve.”    

In October 2024, LENZ announced that the FDA accepted the NDA for LNZ100 for the treatment of presbyopia, a condition that impacts an estimated 1.8 billion people globally and 128 million people in the United States. The FDA has assigned a Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) target action date of August 8, 2025 for LNZ100, and noted it is not planning to hold an Advisory Committee Meeting to discuss this application.