On December 19, 2025, SIMCERE PHARMA (02096) announced that its subsidiary, Jiangsu Simcere Zaiming Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd., entered an exclusive licensing agreement with Ipsen Pharma SAS (Euronext: IPN; ADR: IPSEY). Under the agreement, Ipsen secured global rights (excluding Greater China) to develop, manufacture, and commercialize SIM0613, a LRRC15-targeting antibody-drug conjugate (ADC) developed by Jiangsu Zaiming.

The deal grants SIMCERE PHARMA potential payments totaling up to $1.06 billion, including a $45 million upfront payment, milestone payments tied to development, regulatory approvals, and commercialization, plus tiered sales royalties.

SIM0613 is a novel ADC targeting leucine-rich repeat-containing protein 15 (LRRC15), which is highly expressed in multiple solid tumors and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) but rarely in normal cells. Upon binding to LRRC15, SIM0613 internalizes into tumor cells, releasing its cytotoxic payload to selectively kill cancer cells while sparing healthy tissues. Preclinically, SIM0613 demonstrated deep tumor penetration and significant tumor regression across models, attributed to its engineered design for enhanced delivery to tumors and CAFs.