Swedish biopharma company BioArctic has signed an option, collaboration, and license agreement with Swiss pharmaceutical company Novartis.
The collaboration will focus on a potential treatment that combines BioArctic’s BrainTransporter technology with a neurodegeneration target.
Novartis will initially make a $30m upfront payment to BioArctic. It will decide on licensing the drug candidate after evaluating the project data.
If the Swiss drugmaker chooses to license the drug, BioArctic could receive up to $772m in additional payments.
BioArctic is also entitled to receive tiered mid-single-digit royalties on future global sales if the drug reaches the market.
Novartis neurodegeneration research head Sophie Parmentier Batteur said: “At Novartis, we are deeply committed to advancing science to help discover treatments for devastating nervous system disorders.
“Collaborating with BioArctic allows us to explore the exciting potential of the BrainTransporter technology to promote brain uptake and optimise systemic delivery of novel therapeutic agents by leveraging the biology of the blood-brain barrier.
“Our focus is to pioneer innovative therapies that improve treatment outcomes by impacting disease progression, to provide meaningful therapies for patients with severe neurological conditions.”
Under the collaboration, BioArctic will integrate the BrainTransporter technology with a Novartis antibody.
The BrainTransporter platform facilitates biologics’ passage into the brain, potentially improving drug efficacy and safety.
BioArctic retains rights to the BrainTransporter platform outside the scope of the partnership, offering opportunities in various therapy areas.
This is the company’s third collaboration using BrainTransporter technology, enhancing drug delivery across the blood-brain barrier.
BioArctic CEO Gunilla Osswald said: “I’m excited by today’s announcement. Novartis shares our passion for science and helping patients with severe neurological disorders.
“With yet another BrainTransporter agreement, it is becoming evident that this versatile platform has huge potential to improve many different projects, internally as well as externally generated, and could support companies across the field in their pursuit of helping people with brain disorders.”
Last year, the Ministry of Health and Prevention in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) approved Leqembi (lecanemab), co-developed by Eisai and BioArctic, to treat Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
