Biogen and Novartis may have walked away from partnerships with Sangamo Therapeutics last year, but that hasn’t stopped Roche from seeking out a pact with the biotech to work on intravenous genomic medicines for neurodegenerative diseases.
The global licensing deal gives the Big Pharma’s Genentech unit exclusive rights to Sangamo’s proprietary zinc finger repressors. The DNA-binding technology takes aim at the tau gene—which plays a vital role in Alzheimer’s disease—and a second undisclosed neurology target.
Genentech has also snagged exclusive rights to Sangamo’s neurotropic adeno-associated virus (AAV) capsid, known as STAC-BBB. The tech has shown “potent blood-brain barrier penetration and brain transduction” in animal models and is designed to expand delivery beyond capsids that are currently delivered intrathecally—via an injection into the spinal canal—according to Sangamo. The STAC-BBB deal includes rights in both tau and the second unnamed neurology target.
Sangamo will be responsible for a technology transfer and specific preclinical activities, while Genentech will take on clinical development, regulatory efforts, manufacturing and global commercialization activities.
Genentech is slated to hand over $50 million in near-term upfront license fees and milestone payments, while offering up to $1.9 billion in biobucks for potential development and commercial milestones “across multiple medicines,” plus tiered royalties.
“We are uniquely positioned with our collective experience, expertise and resources in neurological research to explore transformative approaches, including gene therapy, that treat neurodegenerative diseases,” Boris Zaïtra, head of Roche’s corporate business development arm, said in an Aug. 6 release. “Through groundbreaking research and partnerships with companies such as Sangamo, we are committed to pursuing important breakthroughs in both early diagnosis and treatment.”
California-based Sangamo will continue to explore other partnership opportunities for the STAC-BBB platform, epigenetic regulation capabilities and other assets, according to the release.
The last few years have proved rough for the genomic medicine company. In April, the biotech started winding down research and manufacturing operations in France, a move that also meant all 93 job positions in the country were eliminated. The process is expected to wrap up by the end of this year.
The move aligns with Sangamo’s shift away from CAR-Treg cell therapy programs the year before. Back in early 2023, both Biogen and Novartis ditched partnerships with Sangamo in quick succession. The Big Pharma dumping was soon followed by a 27% workforce reduction at the biotech.
In November, the company once again took to the chopping block, laying off 162 staffers, or 40% of its U.S. team. As part of the restructure, former Chief Operating Officer D. Mark McClung and former Chief Scientific Officer Jason Fontenot, Ph.D., both hit the exits.