On January 22, 2026 Medicus Pharma Ltd. (NASDAQ: MDCX) ("Medicus" or the "Company"), a precision guided biotech/life sciences company focused on advancing the clinical development programs of novel and potentially disruptive therapeutics assets, reported that its subsidiary, Antev Ltd., has entered into Amendment No. 3 to its license agreement with LifeArc relating to Teverelix, an investigational next generation long-acting GnRH antagonist.
Schedule your 30 min Free 1stOncology Demo!
Discover why more than 1,500 members use 1stOncology™ to excel in:
Early/Late Stage Pipeline Development - Target Scouting - Clinical Biomarkers - Indication Selection & Expansion - BD&L Contacts - Conference Reports - Combinatorial Drug Settings - Companion Diagnostics - Drug Repositioning - First-in-class Analysis - Competitive Analysis - Deals & Licensing
Schedule Your 30 min Free Demo!
Under the amended agreement, the royalty rate payable on worldwide net sales of Teverelix has been reduced from ~4% to 2%, with the royalty term clarified on a country-by-country basis in line with standard industry practice. The amendment does not alter the scope of the license, the underlying intellectual property, or the respective development responsibilities of the parties, and all other terms of the original agreement remain in full force and effect.
"This amendment substantially improves the long-term economic profile of Teverelix while preserving the strength and integrity of the underlying license," stated Dr. Raza Bokhari, Medicus Exec. Chairman & CEO, "we believe the reduced royalty burden enhances Teverelix’s attractiveness for future partnering, especially for late-stage development and commercialization."
The original license grants exclusive, worldwide rights to develop, manufacture, and commercialize Teverelix across all major global markets, with full rights to grant sublicenses, including through multiple tiers, supporting flexible global partnering strategies. Medicus maintains full operational control over development, manufacturing, and commercialization activities, enabling efficient execution and streamlined decision-making.
Under the license framework, all program-specific improvements and enhancements developed by Medicus, and its affiliates are owned by Medicus, supporting continued expansion of the Teverelix intellectual property estate and long-term value creation. Teverelix is supported by a globally issued patent portfolio spanning major pharmaceutical markets.
The amendment reflects the scientific progress and intellectual property expansion achieved by the Antev team, including the generation of additional supporting data and continued strengthening of the Teverelix patent estate, and aligns the parties under a simplified economic framework designed to support efficient, long-term advancement of the program.
LifeArc is a UK-based medical research organization focused on translating high-quality academic and early scientific discoveries into viable medicines by actively partnering with industry to de-risk and advance programs through development. It operates as a sophisticated translational partner, combining scientific expertise, intellectual property creation and licensing capabilities, and long-term partnership governance with a strong patient-impact mission. LifeArc has over £1 billion in assets under management, enabling it to support programs over extended development timelines and reinvest returns from successful partnerships into new medical research initiatives.
Teverelix: Differentiated Mechanism with Cardiovascular Relevance
Teverelix trifluoroacetate is a long-acting injectable GnRH antagonist formulated as a microcrystalline suspension. Unlike GnRH agonists, which induce an initial hormonal surge, Teverelix produces immediate receptor antagonism, enabling rapid suppression of LH, FSH, and downstream sex hormones without flare.
This mechanism may be clinically relevant in advanced prostate cancer patients with elevated cardiovascular risk, where emerging evidence suggests persistent FSH exposure may contribute to adverse cardiovascular outcomes. While further clinical validation is required, prior Teverelix studies so far have not demonstrated significant cardiovascular safety signals.
Strategic Focus on Phase 2 De-Risking and Partnering
Medicus’ development strategy is to advance select programs through Phase 2 proof-of-concept and pursue licensing or strategic partnerships with established pharmaceutical companies for late-stage development and commercialization.
The Company continues to assemble decision-grade clinical and regulatory data packages across its portfolio to support this partnering-focused model.
SkinJect Phase 2 Program on Track for Near-Term Data Readout
In parallel, Medicus continues to advance SkinJect, its proprietary dissolvable microneedle array platform delivering doxorubicin for the non-invasive treatment of basal cell carcinoma (BCC).
Phase 2 enrollment (SKNJCT-003) completed with 90 patients across nine U.S. sites
Topline decision-grade data expected in Q1 2026
End-of-Phase 2 Food and Drug Administration ("FDA") meeting planned for the first half of 2026.
Previously disclosed positively trending interim findings demonstrated greater than 60% clinical clearance in an exploratory analysis conducted after more than 50% of patients of the then-targeted 60 patients in the study had been randomized. The findings of the interim analysis are preliminary and may or may not correlate with the findings of the study once completed.
(Press release, Medicus Pharma, JAN 22, 2026, View Source [SID1234671207])