Through the partnership, FibroGen will make a $25 million upfront payment to HiFiBiO, as well as payments upon option exercise. HiFiBiO may also receive up to a total of an additional $1.1 billion in future milestone payments across all three programs. HiFiBiO will also be eligible to receive royalties based upon worldwide net sales.

FibroGen exclusively licensed all products in the Galectin-9 program and will have sole right to develop them worldwide. The lead product candidate in the Galectin-9 program is expected to enter clinical development in the first quarter of 2023.

FibroGen has also obtained exclusive options to license all product candidates in HiFiBiO's CXCR5 and CCR8 programs. Each option may be independently exercised following delivery of program-specific data to be generated by HiFiBiO. If an option is exercised, FibroGen will have the sole right to develop products from that program worldwide.

The lead product candidates from the CXCR5 and CCR8 programs are expected to enter clinical development by the mid-2023, company leaders said.