Novartis has announced that it has entered into an option and licence agreement with South Korean biopharma company Alteogen for the development and commercialisation of multiple subcutaneous (SC) products using its ALT-B4 drug delivery technology.
The agreement could be worth up to $3.223bn to Alteogen if Novartis exercises all available options and achieves all development and commercial milestones.
The total includes option exercise fees, milestone payments and royalties on net sales of products commercialised under the agreement.
The deal further strengthens Alteogen’s position in the growing subcutaneous drug delivery market, as pharma companies increasingly seek alternatives to IV infusion for biologic medicines.
Enabling subcutaneous delivery
ALT-B4, also known as berahyaluronidase alfa, is a recombinant human hyaluronidase developed using Alteogen’s Hybrozyme platform.
The enzyme temporarily depolymerises hyaluronan in the extracellular matrix, enabling co-administered medicines to disperse and be absorbed more rapidly following subcutaneous injection.
The approach can allow medicines traditionally administered by IV infusion to be reformulated for SC delivery, potentially reducing administration times and offering greater convenience for patients and healthcare providers.
Alteogen said Novartis has evaluated the application of ALT-B4 across multiple modalities for SC formulation development.
“Novartis is a world-leading pharmaceutical company at the forefront of the global healthcare industry and has evaluated the application of ALT-B4 across multiple modalities for subcutaneous formulation development," said Tae-Yon Chun, CEO of Alteogen.
This agreement demonstrates the technological strength and commercial value of Alteogen’s Hybrozyme platform.
Growing pharmaceutical interest
Novartis is the latest major pharmaceutical company to partner with Alteogen as demand grows for technologies that convert IV-administered biologics into more convenient SC formulations.
The company has already secured licensing agreements with several major drugmakers, including Merck & Co, which selected ALT-B4 for the SC formulation of its blockbuster cancer treatment Keytruda.
The resulting product, Keytruda Qlex, received FDA approval last year.
Alteogen has also signed agreements with Biogen and GSK this year, while AstraZeneca partnered with the company in 2025.
This latest Novartis agreement is Alteogen’s fourth licensing deal of 2026 and highlights an increasing commercial interest in subcutaneous delivery platforms as drugmakers look to improve the administration of complex biologics.
