TÜBINGEN, Germany / BOSTON, MA, USA / SAN DIEGO, CA, USA – January 04, 2018
CureVac AG, a leading clinical-stage biopharmaceutical company focused on the development of pioneering mRNA therapeutics, and Arcturus Therapeutics Ltd. (NASDAQ:ARCT), an RNA medicines company, today announced they have entered into a broad strategic collaboration to jointly discover, develop and commercialize novel messenger RNA (mRNA) therapeutics.
Under the agreement, the companies will collaborate to develop up to four molecular therapy products for rare diseases using Curevac’s optimized natural mRNA sequence (RNAoptimizer®) and Arcturus’s lipid-mediated nucleic acid delivery system (LUNAR™). The agreement focuses on developing mRNA therapeutics for enzyme replacement and antibody generation. Development costs will be shared between the companies, with plans to co-commercialize products in the future under a profit sharing arrangement. The first mRNA therapy to be jointly developed and potentially commercialized by the companies will target ornithine transcarbamylase (OTC) deficiency, a genetic disease characterized by the accumulation of ammonia in the blood. The collaboration also grants CureVac access to the full suite of Arcturus’s lipid-mediated delivery intellectual property to enable the development of additional mRNA product candidates.
“This collaboration for up to four products establishes a sound relationship with Arcturus, which we believe is one of the leaders in developing lipid-mediated delivery systems for mRNA molecules,” said Ingmar Hoerr, Ph.D., co-founder and CEO of CureVac. “Just as important, we are excited to have secured access to Arcturus’s leading intellectual property rights for future product development in molecular therapies. This partnership combines both companies’ technology platforms with the expertise necessary to develop the next generation of therapeutics based on the considerable potential of mRNA.”
“We are thrilled to combine Arcturus’s platform technologies and expertise with CureVac’s recognized capabilities in mRNA construct optimization and GMP manufacturing to co-develop messenger RNA medicines for patients in need,” said Joseph Payne, President and CEO of Arcturus. “We believe our collaboration with CureVac has the potential to help reduce costs, mitigate manufacturing risks, and accelerate our timelines for ushering quality mRNA medicines into the clinic.”
Über Arcturus Therapeutics Ltd.
Die 2013 gegründete Arcturus Therapeutics Ltd. mit Sitz in San Diego, Kalifornien, ist ein führendes Unternehmen in der medizinischen Anwendung von RNA-Therapeutika mit den Schlüsseltechnologien UNA-Oligomer-Chemie und der lipid-formulierten Delivery LUNAR™. Die vielseitige RNA-Therapeutikaplattform kann bei vielen Arten von RNA-Medikamenten angewendet werden, beispielsweise small interfering RNA, messenger RNA, replicon RNA, antisense RNA, microRNA und in der Gentherapie. Das umfangreiche Portfolio der Patente (120 Patente und Patentanträge in den USA, Europa, Japan, China und weiteren Ländern) umfasst die lipid-formulierte Delivery LUNAR und den Unlocked Nucleomonomer Agent UNA, einschließlich der UNA-Oligomere. Die firmeneigene UNA-Technologie kann genutzt werden, um zu therapeutischen Zwecken auf individuelle Gene im menschlichen Genom sowie virale Gene und andere Arten abzuzielen. Das Engagement der Firma, neuartige RNA-Therapeutika zu entwickeln, hat zu Partnerschaften mit Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc., Teil der Janssen Pharmaceutical Companies von Johnson & Johnson, Ultragenyx Pharmaceutical, Inc., Takeda Pharmaceutical Company Limited, Synthetic Genomics Inc., und Cystic Fibrosis Foundation Therapeutics Inc. geführt. Weitere Informationen unter www.ArcturusRx.com.
Forward-looking Statements
This press release contains “forward-looking statements” that involve substantial risks and uncertainties for purposes of the safe harbor provided by the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. All statements, other than statements of historical facts, included in this press release regarding strategy, future operations, collaborations, prospects, plans and objectives of management are forward-looking statements. Examples of such statements include, but are not limited to, statements relating to the collaboration with CureVac having the potential to identify, develop or commercialize any potential product and to help reduce costs, mitigate manufacturing risks and accelerate clinical timelines; Arcturus’s future operations and its ability to successfully initiate and complete clinical trials; the nature, strategy and focus of Arcturus; the development and commercial potential and potential benefits of any product candidates of Arcturus; and the continuation or modification of collaborative arrangements. Arcturus may not actually achieve the plans, carry out the intentions or meet the expectations or projections disclosed in the forward-looking statements and you should not place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations and involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results and performance could differ materially from those projected in the forward-looking statements as a result of many factors, including without limitation, an inability to develop and market product candidates.
The forward-looking statements contained or implied in this press release are subject to other risks and uncertainties, including those discussed in Arcturus’s filings with the Securities and Exchange commission. Except as otherwise required by law, Arcturus disclaims any intention or obligation to update or revise any forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date they were made, whether as a result of new information, future events or circumstances or otherwise. This is an unofficial translation of the English press release. This translation is provided for convenience only. In the event of any ambiguity, the English text will prevail.
About CureVac AG
CureVac is a leading clinical stage biotechnology company in the field of messenger RNA (mRNA) technology with 20 years of expertise in developing and optimizing this versatile molecule for medical purposes. The principle of CureVac’s proprietary technology is the use of mRNA as a data carrier to instruct the human body to produce its own proteins capable of fighting a wide range of diseases. The company applies its technologies for the development of cancer therapies, antibody therapies, the treatment of rare diseases, and prophylactic vaccines. CureVac has received significant investments, amongst others from dievini Hopp BioTech holding and the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation. CureVac has also entered into collaborations with multinational corporations and organizations, including Boehringer Ingelheim, Eli Lilly & Co, Genmab, CRISPR Therapeutics, the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, CEPI and others. CureVac is headquartered in Tübingen, Germany with sites in Frankfurt and Boston, USA.
For more information, please visit www.curevac.com or follow us on Twitter at @CureVacAG.
Media Contact
Thorsten Schüller
Corporate Communications
Friedrich-Miescher-Str. 15
72076 Tübingen
T +49 7071 9883 – 1557