Ligand Pharmaceuticals Milestone Payment

Summary by AI BETAClose X

Arecor Therapeutics plc has received a $0.5 million commercial milestone payment from Ligand Pharmaceuticals, representing the first such payment under their royalty financing agreement. This payment is related to the sale of global royalty rights for AT220 and potential milestone fees for AT292. Arecor initially received $7.0 million upfront and anticipates another $0.5 million in the second half of 2026, with the remaining $3 million contingent on future commercial milestones for AT220 and AT292. These non-dilutive funds are being utilized to accelerate Arecor's lead program, AT278, an ultra-concentrated and ultra-rapid-acting insulin, with a Phase 2 clinical trial anticipated to commence in the second half of 2026.

Disclaimer*

Arecor Therapeutics PLC
26 March 2026
 

Arecor Therapeutics plc
("Arecor" or the "Company")

 

$0.5 Million Commercial Milestone Payment From Ligand Pharmaceuticals

Cambridge, UK, 26 March 2026: Arecor Therapeutics plc (AIM: AREC), a clinical stage biotech company developing superior therapeutics that can reduce treatment burden and improve outcomes for people living with diabetes, obesity and other cardiometabolic diseases, confirms that it has received its first milestone payment of $0.5 million from Ligand Pharmaceuticals Incorporated ('Ligand'), following the previously announced royalty financing agreement, the ('Agreement').

In September 2025, Arecor agreed to the sale of the global royalty rights related to AT220, an Arestat®-enhanced biosimilar product marketed by a global pharmaceutical company, and all potential milestone and technology access fees related to AT292 (licensed to Inhibrx, now Sanofi's Efdoralprin alfa) to Ligand. Arecor received an initial $7.0 million upfront cash payment, with an additional $4.0 million payable upon the achievement of certain commercial milestones related to AT220 and AT292.

Under the terms of the Agreement, the first commercial milestone has been achieved, resulting in a $0.5m payment to Arecor.  Arecor expects to receive a further $0.5 million in the second half of 2026. The remaining $3 million is contingent upon achievement of future commercial milestones related to AT220 and AT292, which remain on track. 

Sarah Howell, Chief Executive Officer of Arecor, said:

"The agreement with Ligand continues to generate non-dilutive funds which are being used to accelerate our lead programme, AT278. This is the only ultra-concentrated and ultra-rapid-acting insulin in development, in combination with Sequel Med Tech's innovative twiistTM Automated Insulin Delivery (AID) system. Arecor and Sequel Med Tech are making great progress across all of the trial-enabling development activities for the Phase 2 AT278-AID clinical trial which is anticipated to commence in 2H 2026."

-ENDS-

For more information, please contact:

Arecor Therapeutics plc
Dr Sarah Howell, Chief Executive Officer
David Ellam, Chief Financial Officer

 

+44 (0) 1223 426060

info@arecor.com

Singer Capital Markets Advisory LLP
(NOMAD and Broker)
Phil Davies, James Fischer

 

+44 (0) 20 7496 3000

Vigo Consulting (Financial Communications)
Melanie Toyne-Sewell, Rozi Morris

+44 (0) 20 7390 0230

arecor@vigoconsulting.com

Vida Strategic Partners (US Investor Relations)

Stephanie Diaz

+1 (415) 675-7401

sdiaz@vidasp.com


Notes to Editors

About Arecor

Arecor Therapeutics plc (AIM: AREC) is a clinical-stage biotech company developing superior therapeutics that can reduce treatment burden and improve outcomes for people living with diabetes, obesity and other cardiometabolic diseases.

Lead product, AT278, is the only ultra-concentrated (500U/mL) ultra-rapid-acting insulin in development. Arecor has signed an initial strategic partnership with Sequel Med Tech, a leading automated insulin delivery (AID) system company to co-develop AT278 in combination with Sequel's twiist™ AID system. Clinically de-risked, AT278 is designed to transform AID systems, addressing a multi-billion dollar diabetes market. Arecor is also developing a novel oral delivery platform for peptides with GLP-1 receptor agonists its first validation target.

The Company is listed on AIM (AIM: AREC) and is based in Cambridge, UK. For further details please see www.arecor.com.

Arecor® and Arestat® are registered trademarks of Arecor Limited.

 

This information is provided by RNS, the news service of the London Stock Exchange. RNS is approved by the Financial Conduct Authority to act as a Primary Information Provider in the United Kingdom. Terms and conditions relating to the use and distribution of this information may apply. For further information, please contact rns@lseg.com or visit www.rns.com.

RNS may use your IP address to confirm compliance with the terms and conditions, to analyse how you engage with the information contained in this communication, and to share such analysis on an anonymised basis with others as part of our commercial services. For further information about how RNS and the London Stock Exchange use the personal data you provide us, please see our Privacy Policy.
 
END
 
 
UK 100

Latest directors dealings