Roche enters $200m hep B treatment collaboration
Roche has entered into a $200 million agreement to licence Dicerna’s GalXC RNAi platform technology to develop novel therapies for the treatment of chronic hepatitis B.
In an announcement earlier today, October 31, Dicerna said both parties had agreed to collaborate on the development of therapies targeting multiple human and viral genes implicated in hep B infection.
Dicerna will receive $200 million in an initial upfront payment and may be eligible to receive up to an additional $1.47 billion over time for specified development and commercial milestones.
Additionally, it may be eligible to receive additional royalties on any products made in collaboration with Roche.
Douglas Fambrough, president and CEO of Dicerna said the collaboration is an opportunity to “target and silence specific genes that contribute to chronic hepatitis B virus infection”.
“With its deep expertise in hep B and established global infrastructure, Roche is ideally suited to help us pursue a cure for chronic hep B infection, and address this serious global threat to public health,” Fambrough added.
John Young, global head of infectious diseases at Roche early research & development said: “This partnership builds upon our existing portfolio and internal expertise and positions us well to develop a best-in-disease therapy to cure chronic hep B infection."
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