(Curevo Vaccine) GC Biopharma said Wednesday that it would transfer its US affiliate Curevo Vaccine to Eli Lilly and Company in a deal worth up to $1.5 billion.Under the agreement, Lilly will acquire all shares of Curevo and secure rights to amezosvatein, the affiliate’s herpes zoster vaccine candidate currently under development.The deal includes an upfront payment upon closing as well as milestone payments tied to future development and commercialization achievements, GC Biopharma said.The company said the size of the deal reflects the clinical competitiveness of amezosvatein, which demonstrated strong immunogenicity and tolerability in head-to-head clinical trials against Shingrix, the shingles vaccine developed by GSK.GC Biopharma added that the transaction establishes a diversified long-term business model through proceeds from the sale, potential milestone payments, possible contract manufacturing revenue and future royalty income tied to sales.“The deal highlights Curevo’s R&D capabilities and collaborative strategy that have been built since the affiliate’s establishment,” said GC Biopharma CEO Huh Eun-chul.“We will continue strengthening globally competitive R&D for products targeting overseas markets.”