Moderna has entered into a strategic partnership with Generation Bio for the development of non-viral genetic medicines.
Under the collaboration, the biological and technical expertise of Moderna will be combined with core technologies of the non-viral genetic medicine platform from Generation Bio.
It aims to expand each company’s platform application through development of new nucleic acid therapeutics, and to expedite their respective non-viral genetic medicines pipelines.
The partnership will discover and develop new lipid nanoparticles using the stealth cell-targeted lipid nanoparticle (ctLNP) delivery system of Generation Bio.
Under the deal terms, Moderna has purchased an option to license the ctLNP and the closed-ended DNA (ceDNA) technology from Generation Bio.
These two technologies will be used for advancing two immune cell programmes and two liver programmes.
Moderna will also have an additional option to license a third programme that could target either immune cells or the liver.
Moderna Research and Early Development senior vice-president Rose Loughlin said: “Moderna continues to invest in innovative technology to enable us to develop a breadth of transformative medicines for patients.
“Through this collaboration, which builds on Generation Bio’s non-viral genetic medicines platform, we have the potential to target immune cells with diverse nucleic acid cargos and the liver for gene replacement.”
As per the terms of the agreement, the company make an upfront cash payment of $40m as well as an equity investment of $36m to Generation Bio.
Generation Bio will also receive payments in future development, regulatory and commercial milestones along with royalties on worldwide net sales of immune cell-targeted and liver-targeted products.
Moderna will provide funding for all the partnership work, including a research pre-payment.
The company will also have the right to buy Generation Bio’s additional shares of common stock in connection with a future equity financing.
This is subject to certain terms and conditions.
Both the companies will also use the partnership for advancing in vivo immune cell targeting as a new class of genetic medicines.
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