SAN FRANCISCO, March 3, 2026
Jaguar Health has secured an additional $3 million payment from Future Pak under a U.S. licensing agreement covering its crofelemer-based drugs Mytesi® and Canalevia®-CA1, strengthening the company’s non-dilutive capital position while advancing its strategy to focus on rare gastrointestinal disease indications. The payment follows Jaguar’s decision to terminate a buy-back option included in the licensing agreement, enabling Future Pak to continue commercializing Mytesi beyond five years while Jaguar maintains manufacturing responsibilities for both medicines.
The latest payment adds to $16 million in upfront capital received earlier in January 2026 when Jaguar entered the licensing agreement with Future Pak, demonstrating the commercial momentum behind the company’s crofelemer-based therapies. The agreement also includes the potential for up to $20 million in milestone and future payments, further supporting Jaguar’s long-term pharmaceutical development strategy.
Licensing Agreement Strengthens Commercial Strategy
The licensing agreement positions Future Pak as the exclusive U.S. marketer for Jaguar’s FDA-approved drug Mytesi and the veterinary therapy Canalevia-CA1, while Jaguar continues to manufacture both products. Mytesi (crofelemer) is approved in the United States for the symptomatic relief of noninfectious diarrhea in adults with HIV/AIDS receiving antiretroviral therapy, addressing a significant gastrointestinal complication experienced by many patients undergoing long-term treatment.
Canalevia-CA1, which also contains crofelemer, is a conditionally approved prescription medicine used to treat chemotherapy-induced diarrhea in dogs, highlighting the cross-species therapeutic potential of crofelemer technology. Through the agreement, Jaguar gains additional financial flexibility while focusing internal research and development resources on expanding crofelemer’s use in rare human gastrointestinal disorders.
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Company leadership emphasized that the additional payment reflects the strategic value of the licensing partnership and the growing recognition of crofelemer as an innovative therapeutic compound derived from plant-based sources.
Crofelemer Program Targets Rare Intestinal Diseases
Crofelemer is a novel oral botanical drug derived from the red bark sap of the Croton lechleri tree found in the Amazon rainforest, often referred to as “dragon’s blood.” The plant-derived compound has unique antisecretory properties that help regulate chloride ion channels in the gastrointestinal tract, thereby reducing excessive fluid secretion that causes chronic diarrhea.
Jaguar is currently expanding development of crofelemer for rare intestinal failure conditions such as short bowel syndrome-associated intestinal failure (SBS-IF) and microvillus inclusion disease (MVID). These severe disorders often require patients to rely on total parenteral nutrition (TPN) and other forms of parenteral support, which involve delivering fluids and nutrients intravenously for extended periods.
Such treatments, while life-sustaining, are associated with serious complications including infections, metabolic disorders, and long-term liver damage. As a result, therapies that reduce dependence on parenteral nutrition are considered highly valuable in the treatment landscape for intestinal failure patients.
Early investigator-initiated and company-sponsored studies have demonstrated promising proof-of-concept results showing reductions in parenteral support requirements among pediatric patients with MVID and SBS-IF, suggesting that crofelemer may offer a novel therapeutic pathway for managing these rare and complex conditions.
Future Development and Regulatory Plans
Jaguar Health plans to continue advancing its intestinal failure program with additional clinical studies and regulatory milestones. The company aims to pursue Breakthrough Therapy designation from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for crofelemer in the treatment of microvillus inclusion disease, reflecting the urgent need for effective therapies in this ultra-rare pediatric disorder.
The company has also outlined plans to submit a New Drug Application (NDA) to the FDA in the first half of 2027 for crofelemer as a treatment for MVID, marking a potential expansion of the drug’s clinical applications beyond its currently approved indications.
Through the combination of licensing partnerships, ongoing clinical research, and regulatory development, Jaguar Health is positioning crofelemer as a versatile therapeutic platform capable of addressing both common and rare gastrointestinal disorders across human and veterinary medicine. The recent financial milestone with Future Pak strengthens the company’s ability to pursue these development efforts while maintaining a sustainable capital strategy.
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Source: Jaguar Health press release
