Halozyme and Oruka announced a global exclusive licensing agreement to apply Hypercon™ technology to ORKA-001, an investigational IL-23 biologic in Phase 1 development for plaque psoriasis and related inflammatory diseases.
Written By: Karthik Teja Macharla, PharmD
Reviewed By: Pharmacally Editorial Team
On May 6, 2026, Halozyme Therapeutics and Oruka Therapeutics announced a global exclusive collaboration and license agreement to apply Halozyme’s Hypercon™ technology to ORKA-001, Oruka’s investigational IL-23-targeting biologic being developed for plaque psoriasis and related inflammatory diseases.
Under the agreement, Halozyme’s wholly owned subsidiary, Halozyme Hypercon, Inc., granted Oruka rights to use the Hypercon™ platform with ORKA-001 and up to one additional target.
Hypercon™ is a microparticle-based drug delivery technology designed to enable hyperconcentrated formulations of biologics and other medicines. The platform aims to reduce injection volume for a given dose and may support more convenient subcutaneous administration, including for high-dose biologic therapies. The technology is intended to improve patient-friendly delivery while maintaining therapeutic dosing requirements.
ORKA-001 is currently being evaluated in Phase 1 clinical development for plaque psoriasis. The investigational biologic targets interleukin-23 (IL-23), a cytokine involved in inflammatory pathways associated with psoriasis and related immune-mediated disorders.
Under the terms of the agreement, Oruka will make an upfront payment to Halozyme and could provide additional milestone payments tied to development and commercialization activities. Halozyme will also be eligible to receive mid-single digit royalties on net sales of products developed using the Hypercon™ platform.
Dr. Helen Torley, President and Chief Executive Officer of Halozyme, said the collaboration marks the company’s second Hypercon partnership announced this year and reflects continued external interest in the technology across biologic drug programs. She added that Halozyme plans to advance the platform alongside Oruka’s inflammatory disease portfolio.
Lawrence Klein, Chief Executive Officer of Oruka Therapeutics, said the company believes the collaboration could help strengthen the delivery profile of its product candidates for chronic skin diseases such as psoriasis. He added that Oruka intends to use the technology to further improve long-term treatment convenience for patients.
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About the Writer
Karthik Teja Macharla, PharmD is a Pharm.D. graduate with a strong interest in clinical research, pharmacovigilance, and medical writing. In his words, he is passionate about converting complex medical information into clear, evidence-based scientific communication, committed to contributing to patient safety and advancing healthcare through accurate and impactful medical content.