Genevant Sciences could be in line for over $114 million as part of a deal to combine its lipid nanoparticle tech with Tome Biosciences’ programmable genomic integration (PGI) expertise to develop an in vivo gene editing treatment for a rare liver disorder.
The exact terms of the deal were left vague, with Genevant only saying the agreement’s total value could reach $114.3 million, alongside tiered royalties on sales of any resulting drug. Even the specific target remains mysterious, with Genevant not disclosing the exact liver disorder, instead only revealing that it’s monogenic—meaning related to a single gene.
“Successful delivery is critical to realizing the promise of next-generation gene editing approaches like Tome’s, highlighting the importance of world-class LNP technology,” Genevant CEO Pete Lutwyche, Ph.D., said in the Jan. 16 release. “We are pleased to be working with Tome to bring its innovative gene editing technology to patients.”
Last year saw the Roivant offshoot sign a series of collaborations, including licensing its tech to Gritstone bio to create self-amplifying RNA vaccines and working with Novo Nordisk on an in vivo gene editing treatment for hemophilia A.
Tome launched last month (PDF) with over $200 million to play with, wasting no time in acquiring DNA editing company Replace Therapeutics for $65 million in cash and near-term milestone payments. Tome’s says its tech can “insert any genetic sequence of any size at any location in the genome with site-specific precision.”
Basilea builds antibiotics pipeline
Basilea Pharmaceutica reported a licensing agreement of its own yesterday, paying fellow Swiss company Spexis 2 million Swiss francs ($2.3 million) for a preclinical program of antibiotics.
The program targets Gram-negative bacteria, including multidrug-resistant strains, and marks Basilea’s latest in a string of recent deals to refill its pipeline. The 2 million francs will comprise an upfront payment, a payment related to the transfer of the assets to Basilea, and a potential final milestone payment related to the availability of near-term external funding for the further development of the program.
“The acquired antibiotics are of a novel class, targeting the lipopolysaccharide transport in Gram-negative bacteria, which have been highlighted by the World Health Organization as priority pathogens against which new antibiotics are urgently needed,” Basilea’s Chief Scientific Officer Laurenz Kellenberger, Ph.D., explained in the Nov. 15 release.
“The convincing potent and rapid bactericidal activity against bacteria such as Escherichia coli or Klebsiella pneumoniae, including multidrug-resistant species, and the activity in infection models, is very encouraging,” Kellenberger added.