Investigators at MIT have identified a protein capable of delivering its own mRNA to cells, and engineered that protein to deliver mRNA sequences of their choosing. In a mouse model, the team used their approach to deliver the mRNA for two different proteins.
In one of the biggest collaboration deals of the year, Shape Therapeutics Inc. entered a collaboration and license agreement with Roche Holding AG to develop gene therapies for targets in areas that include Alzheimer’s disease, Parkinson’s disease and rare diseases. Seattle-based Shape is eligible to receive an initial payment, development, regulatory and sales milestone payments that could exceed $3 billion in aggregate value.
Investigators at MIT have identified a protein capable of delivering its own mRNA to cells, and engineered that protein to deliver mRNA sequences of their choosing.
Just weeks after announcing plans to invest billions in an mRNA therapeutics research center, Sanofi SA has acquired Translate Bio Inc. for $3.2 billion, building on a development partnership focused around the technology.
Private biopharma investment in 2021 continues to outpace that of the past two years as two gene therapy companies, Shape Therapeutics Inc. and Kriya Therapeutics Inc., posted series B financings this week totaling more than $200 million.
PERTH, Australia – Amaroq Therapeutics Ltd., a spinout out of the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand, has launched after securing NZ$14 million (US$9.7 million) in seed funding to develop long non-coding RNAs to treat breast, colorectal and liver cancer.
Just five days after raising $105 million in a series E financing round, RNA interference therapeutics specialist Sirnaomics Inc. obtained another IND approval from the FDA for its dual-targeting small interfering RNA (siRNA) inhibitor STP-707 to start a basket study in oncology. Sirnaomics’ CEO Patrick Lu told BioWorld in an exclusive interview that an I.V. administration of STP-707 will be tested to tackle solid cancers that may have metastasized into other potential areas or tissue types in the body.
LONDON – Following on from the $25 million up-front payment received on sealing their recent research collaboration, Mina Therapeutics Ltd. is now in line for a $15 million equity investment from Eli Lilly and Co. Inc.
Pointing to his company’s work on “the next frontier in small molecules,” Ribometrix Inc. CEO Mike Solomon said the potential $1 billion-plus deal with Roche Holding AG offers evidence of big pharma’s mounting interest. Expertise in RNA folds helped Ribometrix nail down an agreement with Basel, Switzerland-based Roche’s Genentech arm that brings $25 million up front and potential milestone payments beyond $1 billion, as the pair discovers and develops RNA-targeted small-molecule therapeutics. Genentech gains exclusive rights to several predefined targets, including an exclusive global license for the development and commercialization of molecules.
It might be difficult to view the past year through anything other than a COVID-shaped hole. But 2020 brought some remarkable and impactful news for the biopharma sector that had little to do with the novel coronavirus. In this end-of-year recap, BioWorld takes a look at some of achievements and trends affecting the industry that were completely unrelated to – or, in some cases, in spite of – the COVID-19 pandemic.
