Swedish rare-disease company Sobi is licensing a cancer drug from France’s Innate Pharma in a deal worth up to $580 million, taking on the commercialization of a first-in-class treatment for a rare skin lymphoma.
Announced August 10, 2026, the agreement gives Innate $75 million up front, $40 million in near-term development milestones for its Sézary syndrome program, and up to $465 million in later regulatory and commercial milestones, plus double-digit royalties. The drug, lacutamab, is a first-in-class antibody that targets KIR3DL2, a receptor on the cancer cells in cutaneous T-cell lymphoma (CTCL) — specifically the Sézary syndrome and mycosis fungoides subtypes.
Where it stands
Lacutamab is in a Phase 3 confirmatory trial (TELLOMAK-3) and has earned Fast Track and PRIME designations, with an accelerated-approval submission underway. Under the deal, Sobi gains exclusive global commercialization rights upon accelerated approval and worldwide development rights if the Phase 3 trial succeeds; Innate remains the developer.
Why it matters
CTCL is a rare, hard-to-treat cancer with limited options, and a first-in-class antibody would be a meaningful addition. For Innate, partnering with an established rare-disease commercial player is, as CEO Jonathan Dickinson put it, “a pivotal moment” for entering the oncology market — letting it focus on development while Sobi handles the route to patients.