AstraZeneca, Isis Ink Deal For Target Delivery Methods In CVMD
British giant drug maker AstraZeneca announced that it has entered into strategic alliance with Isis Pharmaceuticals to co-discover and co-develop novel antisense oligonucleotides delivery methods.
The new collaboration will be focused on creating new delivery methods that insure drugs reach their targets more effectively. The partners have agreed to focus first on oncology as well as cardiovascular and metabolic diseases (CVMD) as initial project areas. According to the terms of the partnership, AZ and Isis will each fund its own contribution and deploy study researchers for the project. The partners will work together on a pre-agreed program and share rights to the project results.
The companies are free to implement the insights gained from the project to their own platform. For Isis, this means advancing its antisense technology platform while AZ can apply what it learned to its broader RNA-based small molecule and antibody R&D activities. The agreement expands an existing partnership between AstraZeneca and Isis Pharmaceuticals, which was established in 2012.
AstraZeneca said that it is increasing its focus on the role of RNA molecules in its research portfolio. Susan Galbraith, Head of the Oncology Innovative Medicines Unit at AstraZeneca, said that the new collaboration will help bolster AZ’s R&D in RNA-based therapeutics. “If successful, we’ll have a way to selectively modulate therapeutic targets in specific cell types that are intractable to small molecules and antibodies. This could lead to a number of ground breaking drugs for both oncology and cardiovascular and metabolic diseases.”
Brett Monia, SVP of Antisense Drug Discovery at Isis Pharmaceuticals said that the new agreement expands its strong partnership with the British big pharma. “Together, we have advanced ISIS-STAT3Rx and ISIS-ARRx in clinical development, both of which are being evaluated in patients with cancer. This opportunity also complements our internal efforts to expand the use of our technology and develop drugs with broad therapeutic applicability.”
Earlier this month, Isis reported that it has earned $7.5 million in milestone payments from AstraZeneca for progress it has made with the development program of ISIS-STAT3Rx in late-stage cancers.