In a groundbreaking move, Takeda, the Japanese pharmaceutical giant, has forged a visionary partnership with California-based biotech AcuraStem to tackle amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) and a host of other neurodegenerative diseases.
Under this game-changing agreement, Takeda is committing substantial upfront and milestone payments, potentially reaching an impressive $580 million, contingent upon the collaboration’s successful navigation through future clinical, regulatory, and commercial milestones. In addition to this, AcuraStem stands to gain tiered royalties from the potential net sales of any groundbreaking products emerging from this dynamic alliance.
In exchange for this substantial investment, Takeda secures exclusive worldwide licensing rights to AcuraStem’s PIKFYVE program, including AS-202, a cutting-edge investigational antisense oligonucleotide (ASO) and the biotech’s most advanced candidate.
With this partnership, Takeda takes the helm in driving the development of AS-202 and AcuraStem’s other PIKFYVE-focused assets, covering all aspects from clinical studies to regulatory endeavors and eventual commercialization.
AcuraStem’s PIKFYVE program represents a promising frontier in the battle against ALS, as indicated on the company’s website. Their research has revealed that employing ASO therapeutics to inhibit the gene responsible for the kinase leads to the removal of toxic proteins and pathological aggregates within neurons. This groundbreaking process restores normal neuron function and effectively halts neurodegeneration.
This innovative approach also raises hope for addressing frontotemporal dementia (FTD) and other diseases stemming from the misfolding and eventual clustering of the protein TDP-43. In numerous pre-clinical models of ALS and FTD, PIKFYVE-targeted ASOs, like AS-202, have demonstrated the potential to reverse the harmful protein buildup in neurons, as per AcuraStem’s research.
Sarah Sheikh, the head of Takeda’s Neuroscience Therapeutic Area Unit, underscored the significance of AS-202, stating that its “unique dual mechanism of action, which addresses TDP-43 aggregation and improves TDP-43 function,” holds great promise in meeting the pressing needs of patients grappling with “debilitating neurological diseases.”
This isn’t Takeda’s first leap into high-value collaborations. In July 2023, the company inked a strategic discovery collaboration and licensing agreement with British biotech F-star Therapeutics, aiming to revolutionize cancer treatment with next-generation and multi-specific antibodies. While the full financial details remain undisclosed, the potential milestone payments could reach an astounding $1 billion.
In January, Takeda embarked on another billion-dollar endeavor, partnering with Hutchmed to develop fruquintinib, a groundbreaking VEGF inhibitor being trialed as a potential game-changer in colorectal cancer treatment.
Takeda’s recent strategic moves underscore their unwavering commitment to advancing cutting-edge treatments and transforming the landscape of medicine, offering hope to countless patients worldwide.