On 27 February, the biotechnology companies Biogen and Sangamo Therapeutics announced that they have signed a partnership agreement to develop therapies for neurological diseases including Alzheimer’s disease (AD).
The partnership will initially focus on three gene therapy candidates. Biogen gets ST-501 targeting tau, a protein found in neurons which is abnormally hyperphosphorylated and present in excess in brains with AD. The agreement also includes rights for ST-502 for synucleinopathies such as Parkinson’s disease and another undisclosed neuromuscular target. Moreover, Biogen has the exclusive rights to select up to nine additional undisclosed neurological targets.
Sangamo aims to address neurological diseases at a genomic level by developing therapies to selectively activate, repress or replace key genes involved in these diseases. Financial terms of the agreement include an upfront payment to Sangamo from Biogen of about USD 350 million. Sangamo will be eligible for up to USD 2.37 billion in milestone payments and royalties.
