Evommune Licenses Hinova’s EVO570 in $1.1B Deal for Autoimmune Diseases

Evommune, Inc. has entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with China’s Hinova Pharmaceuticals to develop and commercialise EVO570, an experimental oral drug designed to treat autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation.

Announced on November 4, 2026, the agreement gives Evommune worldwide development and commercialisation rights to EVO570, excluding mainland China, Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan. The deal could be worth approximately $1.1 billion in development, regulatory and commercial milestone payments for Hinova, along with additional royalties on product sales outside Greater China.

As part of the agreement, Evommune will pay Hinova $30 million upfront. This includes $20 million in cash and $10 million through pre-funded warrants to purchase Evommune common stock.

EVO570 is a potential new treatment that targets a protein called VAV1, which plays an important role in activating T cells and B cells. These immune cells help protect the body, but their excessive or uncontrolled activity can contribute to autoimmune diseases and chronic inflammation.

The drug belongs to a class of medicines known as molecular glue degraders (MGDs). Rather than simply blocking the activity of a protein, these medicines are designed to direct unwanted proteins towards the cell’s natural protein-disposal system, allowing them to be broken down.

By selectively removing VAV1, EVO570 aims to reduce harmful immune activity that contributes to autoimmune conditions. Since VAV1 is mainly found in immune cells, the approach may offer a more targeted treatment option compared with some existing medicines that affect signalling pathways across multiple tissues.

In preclinical studies, EVO570 showed promising activity in animal models of several immune-related conditions. It also demonstrated strong potency in human immune cells compared with other VAV1 degraders.

Hinova has already submitted Investigational New Drug (IND) applications in China, while the US IND application has been accepted. Evommune expects a Phase 1 clinical trial to begin shortly. The study will evaluate the drug’s safety, how the body processes it and whether it successfully targets VAV1.

The company plans to move EVO570 into a Phase 2 clinical trial for rheumatoid arthritis in 2027. Depending on the results, the drug could also be explored for other autoimmune conditions driven by T-cell and B-cell activity.

Dr. Jeegar Patel, Chief Scientific Officer of Evommune, said EVO570 has the potential to provide a differentiated treatment approach for patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other autoimmune diseases. He highlighted its high selectivity, potency and potential for once-daily oral dosing.

Greg Moss, Chief Business and Legal Officer of Evommune, described the agreement as an important step in expanding the company’s development pipeline into T-cell and B-cell-driven autoimmune diseases.

For Hinova Pharmaceuticals, the agreement provides an opportunity to advance its drug discovery research through a partnership with a company focused on developing treatments for chronic inflammatory conditions.

The licensing deal also strengthens Evommune’s position in the growing field of targeted protein degradation. If clinical studies confirm the promising early findings, EVO570 could offer a new treatment option for patients with autoimmune diseases who need more effective and targeted therapies.

However, EVO570 remains an investigational drug and has not yet been approved by any regulatory authority. Its safety and effectiveness will need to be established through clinical trials.