Yuhan Corp. is taking a leap toward a global developer of new drugs by exporting technology worth more than 4 trillion won ($3.6 billion) over the past three years.

Starting with the contract with Spine Biopharma in July 2018, Yuhan has signed five technology transfer deals with global pharmaceuticals, such as Janssen Biotech, Gilead Sciences, Boehringer Ingelheim, Processa Pharmaceuticals, earning 171.2 billion won.

Yuhan said Monday that it would receive a $65 million milestone payment from Janssen Biotech for its lung cancer drug lazertinib. The company signed the deal to transfer the technology of the therapy to Janssen in November 2018.

The milestone payment was made, as Janssen recently administered lazertinib combined with its antibody therapy amivantamab to patients in phase 3 clinical trials.

Even if Janssen gives up the research, approval, and commercialization of the drug candidate, Yuhan has no obligation to refund the milestone payment.

Yuhan also made a $410.5 million contract with the U.S. Processa Pharmaceuticals in 2020 for transferring the technology of YH12852, a drug candidate for functional gastrointestinal disease.

YH12852 treats functional gastrointestinal diseases after surgery by selectively acting on the 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor 4, which plays a key role in regulating movements and senses in the intestine.

Besides, Yuhan licensed out non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) therapy to Gilead Sciences and agreed on its joint development in January last year.

The two companies agreed to sign the contract at $785 million. Gilead Sciences made a down payment of $15 million and agreed to pay $777 million at each following step of development, approval, and distribution.

In July last year, Yuhan also signed a technology transfer contract with Boehringer Ingelheim for $870 million, including the $40 million down payment.

In addition, Yuhan transferred YH14618 technology of degenerative disk disease drug to Spine Biopharma based in the U.S. The contract amounted to $218 million with an upfront payment worth $650,000.

The company presented positive study results of lazertinib in treating non-small cell lung cancer patients and those who have brain metastasis at the annual conference of ASCO (American Society of Clinical Oncology) annual conference held in May.

Yuhan is conducting multinational phase 3 trials to confirm the efficacy and safety profile of lazertinib as first-line therapy for lung cancer patients with mutated epidermal growth factor receptors.

“Yuhan and Janssen are co-developing cancer therapy to provide a better treatment option for non-small cell lung cancer patients,” a Yuhan official said.