On January 12, 2026, Zonsen PepLib Biotech Inc. ("PepLib") announced that it has entered into a worldwide license agreement with Novartis for an undisclosed peptide-based asset in the field of radioligand therapies (RLTs). Under the agreement, Novartis has obtained an exclusive worldwide license and will be responsible for the development and commercialization activities for the asset.
Under the terms of the agreement, PepLib wil receive an upfront payment of USD 50 million, with the potential to receive additional development, regulatory, and sales milestone payments, and is also eligible for tiered royalties on future global net sales.
The asset has been developed internally by PepLib to date. Through this transaction, PepLib and Novartis, an experienced global leader in RLTs, will advance the program to its next stage of development. The asset is expected to complement Novartis' existing RLT portfolio and to leverage the Novartis' strong capabilities in the field to potentially bring a new targeted treatment option to patients worldwide.
In this transaction, Han Kun acted as legal advisor to PepLib. The Han Kun team was led by Yingjie (Suzie) Zhao, with support from a diverse legal team comprised of Ying Li, Jing (Gilbert) Shen, Shipo (Angus) Xie, Jianan Liu, Rui Zhang, Renze Fu and Yumeng Chen, forming a cross-practice team spanning transaction, intellectual property, compliance and tax. The team was deeply involved in all key stages of the transaction, including transaction structuring, assistance with intellectual property due diligence, and the drafting, revision and negotiation of the license agreement, as well as compliance and tax assessments. With multidisciplinary expertise, the Han Kun team delivered comprehensive legal support to the clients, demonstrating Han Kun's outstanding capabilities in handling complex cross-border licensing transactions in the life sciences and healthcare sector.
About Zonsen PepLib Biotech Inc.
Zonsen PepLib Biotech Inc. is an innovative biotechnology company dedicated to the discovery and development of novel peptide-based therapeutics aimed at improving treatment options for patients worldwide. Founded in September 2017, PepLib is headquartered in Zhuzhou, China, with operations in Changsha, China, and a subsidiary in New Jersey, USA. PepLib employs more than 200 people, over 80% of whom are engaged in research and development.
PepLib has established a robust and diverse suite of proprietary peptide libraries and discovery capabilities, with a primary therapeutic focus in oncology and cardiometabolic diseases. PepLib's platforms support multiple peptide-based modalities, including peptide radionuclide conjugates (PRCs), peptide oligonucleotide conjugates (POCs), and peptide drug conjugates (PDCs).
Han Kun's Life Sciences and Healthcare Practice
Han Kun is widely recognized and well-known for its practice in life sciences and healthcare. In relevant practice areas, we have been continuously ranked as a first-tier law firm by authoritative legal ranking agencies, including Chambers and Partners, The Legal 500, China Business Law Journal, Asialaw Profiles, etc. Han Kun is committed to providing clients with comprehensive legal services in life sciences and healthcare sector, including private equity and venture capital, mergers and acquisitions, onshore and offshore capital market, pharmaceutical license in/out and asset sale/purchase transactions, intellectual property, data protection, compliance and regulatory, and dispute resolution. Han Kun has a dedicated life sciences and healthcare team led by multiple partners and comprised of tens of specialist attorneys. Our partners on the team all have served a broad range of both domestic and foreign clients and developed a deep understanding of industry regulatory requirements and commercial course of dealings. Our associates on the team are graduates from top law schools both in China and abroad, all fluent in Chinese and English and equipped with excellent legal writing skills. Han Kun is well aware of the importance of professional legal services for life sciences and healthcare companies, especially those facing complex legal issues and therefore requiring special legal support. Clients value our teamwork as we fully leverage the expertise and experience of our professionals, all experts in their respective fields. Our goal is always to provide clients with thorough and practical solutions and high-quality legal services.
