US pharma giant Vertex Pharmaceuticals has entered into a licensing agreement with biopharmaceutical company Halozyme to use the Hypercon drug delivery technology. Halozyme acquired this technology in 2025 through its purchase of Elektrofi for up to $900 million. Hypercon enables the creation of highly concentrated formulations, reducing injection volume and allowing patients to self‑administer at home. Interest in the technology had previously been shown by companies including Argenx, Eli Lilly and Johnson & Johnson.
Under the terms of the deal, Vertex will pay an upfront fee of $15 million for the right to use the technology for three targets. Halozyme could also receive additional milestone payments and royalties on future product sales.
The parties did not disclose details about the specific types of therapeutics for which the technology will be used. However, Halozyme CEO Helen Torley mentioned “small volumes of next‑generation biologic drugs delivered to patients.”
Halozyme acquired Elektrofi in October 2025, beating out other major players that had also shown interest in the Hypercon technology. As Torley stated at the time, Elektrofi’s technology complements Halozyme’s own Enhanze platform well: while Enhanze is suited for developing large‑volume subcutaneous formulations often administered in physicians’ offices, Hypercon opens up possibilities for at‑home use.
Vertex’s Chief Scientific Officer Mark Bunnage called the deal an important step for the company. “We are excited to add the Hypercon technology to our toolkit as we aim to develop transformative treatments for patients with serious diseases,” he said.
The subcutaneous drug delivery market remains a focus for major pharmaceutical companies. In March, Biogen signed a $20 million deal with South Korea’s Alteogen to develop subcutaneous formulations of two biologics using Hybrozyme technology. GSK has also shown similar interest, allocating $20 million for a technology related to the checkpoint inhibitor Jemperli.
Meanwhile, the hyaluronidase technology underlying many such developments has become the focus of a patent dispute between Halozyme and MSD over the subcutaneous version of Keytruda.
