AbbVie and Capsida Collaborate to Develop Gene Therapies for Eye Diseases
AbbVie and Capsida Biotherapeutics have expanded their strategic partnership to develop gene therapies for high unmet need eye diseases. The collaboration will involve combining AbbVie's broad capabilities with Capsida's innovative adeno-associated virus (AAV) engineering platform and manufacturing capability to progress three programs. This partnership builds upon a previously announced neurodegenerative disease partnership in 2021.
Through the partnership, Capsida will receive $70 million as part of an expanded agreement, including upfront payments and potential equity investment. For the three programs, Capsida may receive up to $595 million in option fees and research and development milestones, as well as mid-to-high single-digit royalty payments on future product sales.
Capsida will lead capsid discovery using its AAV engineering platform, process development, and early clinical manufacturing for all programs. AbbVie, on the other hand, will be responsible for the development and commercialization of innovative therapeutic cargo approaches.
"This expanded collaboration with Capsida has the potential to develop transformative therapies for patients with serious eye diseases," said Jonathon Sedgwick, Ph.D., vice president and global head of discovery research, AbbVie. "In pursuing the promise of genetic medicine-based therapeutics, AbbVie continues to expand our capabilities, and we are pleased to have Capsida as a partner."
"AbbVie has been an excellent partner, and we are excited to expand our collaboration into ophthalmology with the world leader in this therapeutic area," said Peter Anastasiou, chief executive officer of Capsida. "Combining AbbVie's expertise in eye disease drug development and commercialization with Capsida's fully integrated next-generation AAV engineering platform and manufacturing capabilities offers the potential to provide novel therapies enabling unprecedented benefit to patients with serious eye diseases."
