1ST Biotherapeutics lands $2.2M from SK Biopharmaceuticals in Parkinson's deal
What's the deal? 1ST BiotherapeuticsDealroom has a profile for this one. Try Dealroom → has received a $2.2 million strategic equity investment from SK Biopharmaceuticals, the two companies announced on September 17, 2026. The investment accompanies an exclusive global licensing agreement to advance 1ST-104, a Parkinson's disease candidate.
The bigger picture: The licensing deal is valued at up to $314.8 million, including milestones. 1STBIO gets an upfront payment of $1.8 million, a $1.8 million short-term milestone upon candidate selection, and tiered royalties on global net sales if the drug reaches market.
What's the endgame? 1ST-104 is an oral small-molecule treatment that inhibits both LRRK2 and c-Abl, targets linked to Parkinson's. The candidate is a Type 2 LRRK2 inhibitor, designed to avoid the pulmonary findings that have troubled some Type 1 inhibitors in preclinical studies.
Why it matters: The deal pairs 1STBIO's early-stage discovery work with SK Biopharmaceuticals' global development and commercial reach. Founded in 2016, Seoul-based 1STBIO develops therapies for neurodegenerative diseases, immuno-oncology, and rare diseases.
"This agreement serves as a strong validation of 1ST Biotherapeutics' proprietary discovery capabilities," said Jamie Jae Eun Kim, chief executive officer of 1ST Biotherapeutics.
Donghoon Lee, chief executive officer of SK Biopharmaceuticals, said the collaboration "combines 1ST Biotherapeutics' early-stage discovery capabilities with SK Biopharmaceuticals' clinical development and commercialization expertise."
The signal: The transaction shows large biopharma firms using small equity stakes to lock in long-term partnerships around early-stage neuroscience assets, spreading the risk of Parkinson's drug development while keeping a foothold in promising candidates.
Read more: globenewswire.com
Image credit: Generated with Gemini
