Kiora licenses KIO-301 rights in South Korea

• Kiora Pharmaceuticals licensed South Korean development and commercialization rights for retinal therapy KIO-301 to Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical.
• The agreement includes a $1 million upfront payment, plus potential milestones and future sales royalties.
• Kiora plans to focus internal resources on KIO-104 and ion channel modulator programs after expanding KIO-301 partnerships.

Kiora Pharmaceuticals (NASDAQ:KPRX) licensed South Korean development and commercialization rights for its retinal therapy KIO-301 in ophthalmic indications to Chong Kun Dang Pharmaceutical (CKD).

The agreement provides Kiora with a $1 million upfront payment, along with potential development and regulatory milestone payments and royalties on future South Korean sales.

Under the agreement, CKD will lead clinical development, regulatory activities and commercialization efforts for KIO-301 in South Korea, while Kiora retains its broader global development strategy.

Kiora said CKD, Laboratoires Théa and Senju Pharmaceutical are expected to coordinate a single global Phase 3 trial in retinitis pigmentosa.

KIO-301 is an investigational retinal therapy that Kiora is developing for ophthalmic conditions, including retinitis pigmentosa.

With KIO-301 partnered across major markets, Kiora said it plans to direct internal resources toward KIO-104 and ion channel modulator programs.