Moderna, CytomX Therapeutics collaborate for mRNA-based conditionally activated therapeutics
Cambridge: Moderna, Inc. and CytomX Therapeutics, Inc. have announced a collaboration and licensing agreement to create investigational mRNA-based conditionally activated therapies utilizing Moderna's mRNA technologies and CytomX's Probody therapeutic platform.
The research collaboration will leverage core scientific advances at Moderna and CytomX. Moderna's mRNA platform builds on continuous advances in basic and applied mRNA science, delivery technology, and manufacturing, and has allowed the development of therapeutics and vaccines for infectious diseases, immuno-oncology, rare diseases, cardiovascular diseases, and autoimmune diseases. CytomX's Probody technology enables proteins to be activated locally in diseased tissue, while remaining masked in systemic circulation. These advances open up the strategy of encoding potent, masked biologics with mRNA, for the potential treatment of a wide range of diseases.
"We are excited to enter this collaboration with CytomX to combine our technologies and to potentially bring mRNA-based conditionally activated therapies to patients," said Rose Loughlin, Ph.D., Moderna's Senior Vice President for Research and Early Development. "Moderna and CytomX have a shared vision of investing at the intersection of biology and technology to transform the lives of patients, and this collaboration will expand applications of our growing therapeutics pipeline."
"At CytomX, we have always embraced bold science in building the potential of Probody therapeutics and we are thrilled to be joining forces with Moderna in oncology as well as expanding our technology to areas outside oncology where we believe there is great potential," said Sean McCarthy, D.Phil, CEO and Chairman of CytomX. "Moderna's global impact has shown the enormous power of mRNA and we look forward to working closely with our newest collaborator to bring novel, mRNA-based conditionally activated therapeutics to patients with unmet medical needs."
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Under the terms of the agreement, CytomX will receive an upfront payment of $35 million, including $5 million of pre-paid research funding. CytomX will continue to receive research funding and is eligible to receive up to approximately $1.2 billion in future development, regulatory, and commercial milestone payments. CytomX is also eligible to receive tiered royalties on global net sales of any products that are commercialized under the agreement. Moderna and CytomX will collaborate on discovery and pre-clinical development and Moderna will lead clinical development and commercialization of therapeutics resulting from the agreement. The agreement additionally provides Moderna with an option to participate in a future equity financing by CytomX subject to certain terms, conditions and regulatory requirements.
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