JPM23: Partnerships Take off From JP Morgan Healthcare Conference 2023 Day One

As JP Morgan’s 41st annual Healthcare Conference warms up, companies worldwide are joining forces to develop the next generation of therapies. Here are some of the breaking announcements from the first day of the event. 

Neurocrine Hops onto Voyager’s Gene Therapies 

Neurocrine is lending a hand to the advancement of Voyager’s preclinical GBA1 gene therapy program for Parkinson’s disease and other related diseases. The gene therapy combines a GBA1 gene replacement payload with capsids from Voyager’s capsid discovery platform. 

In addition, the companies will work together on three more gene therapies for rare CNS targets. The new collaboration builds on an existing agreement from 2019 over Friedreich’s Ataxia and other CNS targets, which involved an upfront payment of $165 million from Neurocrine to Voyager. 

Boehringer Ingelheim Brings in 3T’s T-Cell Targeted Platform

Boehringer Ingelheim is licensing 3T Biosciences’ discovery platform to identify shared T-cell receptor (TCR) targets of productive immune responses. The machine learning-based platform also performs screening of TCRs and TCR mimetic for specificity and off-target cross-reactivities, which can help identify valuable immunogenic targets in solid tumors. 

3T will receive an undisclosed upfront payment and up to $268 million in milestones as well as royalties on future product sales. Boehringer Ingelheim will also aid 3T’s target discovery efforts by providing patient TCR data. 

Related Article: Acquisition Announcements From JP Morgan Healthcare Conference 2023 Day One

FrieslandCampina Ingredients Spices up Precision Fermentation with Triplebar Assist

FrieslandCampina Ingredients is turning to Triplebar Bio to develop and scale up the production of cell-based proteins using precision fermentation. The latest partnership follows FrieslandCampina’s launch of its first plant protein range in partnership with AGT Foods in November 2021. 

California-based Triplebar specializes in bioengineering products and biological production systems that accelerate evolution found in nature. The two companies will produce microbial cells through precision fermentation that create bioactive proteins beneficial to human health.  

Royalty Pharma Acquires Slice of Ionis’ Spinraza and Pelacarsen 

Royalty Pharma is acquiring an interest in Spinraza, a treatment for spinal muscular atrophy (SMA), and pelacarsen, an investigational RNA-targeting treatment for elevated lipoprotein(a), an inherited risk factor for cardiovascular disease. 

Biogen licensed Spinraza from Ionis in 2016, granting Ionis royalties up to the mid-teens on net sales of the drug. Novartis’ license on pelacarsen entitles Ionis for royalties ranging from the mid-teens to low twenties. 

The royalties-focused company is paying $500 million upfront and up to $625 million in milestones in exchange for 25% of Ionis’ pelacarsen royalty payments and 25% of Spinraza royalties through 2027. In 2028, Royalty Pharma’s share of Spinraza royalties will go up to 45%, on up to $1.5 billion in annual sales. Royalty Pharma’s royalty interest in Spinraza will return to Ionis after payments reach either $475 million or $550 million, depending on certain conditions. 

AskBio, ReCode to Pair Synthetic DNA and CRISPR with LNP Delivery

Bayer’s Asklepios BioPharmaceutical and ReCode Therapeutics are entering a multi-year research collaboration to discover precision genetic medicines. The joint effort will combine AskBio’s synthetic DNA and CRISPR applications with ReCode’s lipid nanoparticle (LNP) delivery technology. 

The companies aim to package both the gene editing tool, which enables full gene insertion, and the DNA cargo in a single LNP to desired liver and lung disease targets.

Bayer has helped ReCode before, co-leading the biotech’s $200 million Series B extension financing round via its investment unit, Leaps by Bayer. 

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Joy Lin

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