Just over a month after emerging from stealth and disclosing a $150 million series A, Korsana Biosciences Inc. is making the leap to the public market via a merger with Cyclerion Therapeutics Inc. The agreement, which is backed by a $370 million private placement from Korsana’s investors, solidly positions the newly merged company as it heads toward the clinic with KRSA-028, a next-generation shuttled antibody targeting amyloid beta for the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease, and builds out a pipeline of neurodegenerative disease candidates.
Enodia Therapeutics SAS has acquired Kezar Life Sciences Inc.’s assets from its Sec61-based discovery and development program, including clinical-stage KZR-261. Insights from Kezar’s Sec61-based programs will further strengthen Enodia’s core focus on Sec61-driven selectivity for targeting protein degradation.
Entering its first major cardiovascular disease collaboration with a biopharma company, while it advances two internal gene therapies, Tenaya Therapeutics Inc. signed on with Alnylam Pharmaceuticals Inc. to deliver up to 15 novel genetic targets that could lead to new heart disease medicines. The deal comes with $10 million up front, and up to $1.13 billion is available to South San Francisco-based Tenaya if all targets meet certain milestones, leading to approved therapeutics that Alnylam develops and commercializes.
UCB SA and Antengene Corp. Ltd. have entered into a license agreement that grants UCB a worldwide exclusive license to further develop, manufacture and commercialize ATG-201.
Angelini Pharma SpA and Quiver Bioscience Inc. have entered into a collaboration and licensing agreement to advance novel therapeutics for genetic epilepsies. Under the multiyear collaboration, Angelini Pharma will leverage Quiver’s technology platform to gain deeper understanding of a broad set of developmental and epileptic encephalopathies.
Alchemedicine Inc. and Asahi Kasei Pharma Corp. have entered into an exclusive license agreement on lead HiSAP (high solubility and permeability) compounds owned by Alchemedicine.
Zipbio has signed an exclusive license agreement with Meiragtx Holdings plc to advance an AAV gene therapy for geographic atrophy. Under the agreement, Meiragtx will receive exclusive rights to Zipbio’s first-in-class therapies targeting the complement pathway for geographic atrophy.
Genentech Inc. is paying $200 million up front and up to $1.5 billion in milestone payments to license one of Suzhou Sanegene Bio Inc.’s RNAi programs. Metabolic and autoimmune-focused Sanegene did not disclose specifics around the licensed candidate, except that it was derived from its LEAD (Ligand and Enhancer Assisted Delivery) platform.