J&J, Arcturus Therapeutics Enter Strategic RNA Drug Discovery Alliance
San Diego-based Arcturus Therapeutics is a leading RNA medicines company with enabling technologies — UNA Oligomer chemistry and LUNAR™ lipid-mediated delivery. Its versatile RNA therapeutics platforms can be applied toward multiple types of RNA medicines including small interfering RNA, messenger RNA, antisense RNA, microRNA and gene editing therapeutics.
This happening biotech has now entered into a research collaboration and worldwide license agreement with Janssen Pharmaceuticals, Inc. (Janssen).
The two companies will work together to develop and commercialize nucleic acid-based drug products for the treatment of Hepatitis B, using Arcturus’ UNA Oligomer chemistry and LUNAR™ lipid-mediated delivery platform. The agreement also includes an option to expand into other infectious and respiratory diseases. The deal was facilitated by the Johnson & Johnson Innovation center, in California.
Under the agreement, Arcturus will receive an upfront cash payment, R&D support, and pre-clinical, development, and sales milestone payments, as well as royalty payments on any future licensed product sales. Janssen will assume responsibility for development costs and all commercialization costs associated with the program.
Janssen says it will take on responsibility for development costs and all commercialization costs associated with the program.
The two are not strangers
, as San Diego-based Arcturus is also a graduate from Johnson & Johnson’s JLABS incubator and comes just a few weeks after Arcturus looked to gain a Nasdaq listing through a reverse merger with Alcobra.“This new collaboration signifies an expanded relationship between Arcturus and Janssen,” said Joseph Payne, President, and CEO of Arcturus.
“Arcturus’ expertise and intellectual property in the field of RNA medicines are complemented by Janssen’s broad capabilities in clinical development, regulatory affairs, and marketing. Together we aim to bring new treatments to patients who are suffering from Hepatitis B and potentially other infectious diseases.”
