On December 19, 2024 Astellas Pharma Inc. (TSE: 4503, President and CEO: Naoki Okamura, "Astellas") and Sangamo Therapeutics, Inc. (Nasdaq: SGMO), a genomic medicine company, reported they have entered into a license agreement allowing Astellas to leverage Sangamo’s novel proprietary neurotropic adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid, STAC-BBB, which has demonstrated potent blood-brain barrier penetration and neuronal transduction in nonhuman primates (Press release, Astellas, DEC 19, 2024, View Source [SID1234649211]). The agreement grants Astellas a worldwide exclusive license to utilize the STAC-BBB capsid for one target, with the right to add up to four additional targets after paying additional licensed target fees to deliver their intravenously administered genomic medicines to treat certain neurological diseases.
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Sandy Macrae, Chief Executive Officer, Sangamo
"We strongly believe in the potential of STAC-BBB, our industry-leading, intravenously delivered AAV capsid, to overcome the challenges associated with delivering therapies to the central nervous system. This agreement underscores the continued industry interest in our STAC-BBB capsid and reinforces our ongoing commitment to partnering with collaborators who understand its unique potential. We are delighted to license STAC-BBB to Astellas to advance potential treatments for neurological diseases with significant unmet medical needs."
Adam Pearson, Chief Strategy Officer, Astellas
"Delivering treatments to the brain and central nervous system remains a highly complex challenge in the field of gene therapy. We believe that technologies such as Sangamo’s STAC-BBB capsid could prove critical in helping us deliver effective transformational treatments to patients suffering from serious genetic neurological conditions. We continue to build a world-class gene therapy pipeline and end-to-end discovery, development, manufacturing, and commercial capabilities. This agreement is another example of our commitment to delivering meaningful therapies for patients with genetic diseases."
Under the terms of the agreement, Sangamo is responsible for completing a technology transfer related to the STAC-BBB capsid. Astellas is responsible for all research, preclinical and clinical development, regulatory interactions, manufacturing, and global commercialization of the resulting gene therapy products. Sangamo will receive a $20 million upfront license fee from Astellas and is eligible to earn up to $1.3 billion in additional licensed target fees and milestone payments across the five potential neurology disease targets, as well as tiered mid-to-high single digit royalties on potential net sales of such products, subject to certain specified reductions.